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BX  9175  .R63  1858 
Robinson,  Stuart,  1814-1881. 
The  church  of  God  as  an 
essential  element  of  the 


THE 


CHURCH   OF  GOD 

Hr  AS    AN 


AND 


THE  IDEA,  STRUCTURE,  AND  FUNCTIONS  THEREOF. 


A  DISCOURSE    IN    FOUR    PARTS. 


BY 

EEV.  STUART  ROBmSOI^, 

PROFESSOR  OF  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  AND  PASTORAL  THEOLOGY  IN   THE  THEOLOGICAL 
SEMINARY  AT  DANVILLE,   KY. 


WITH  AN  APPENDIX, 


CONTAINING  THE  MORE  IMPORTANT  SYMBOLS  OE  PRESBYTERIAN 

CHURCH  GOVERNMENT,  HISTORICALLY  ARRANGED 

AND  ILLUSTRATED. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
JOSEPH    M.    WILSOX, 

No.  Ill  SOUTH   TENTH   STREET,   BELOW  CHESTNUT  STREET. 
A.  DAVIDSON,  LOUISVILLE,  KY. 

1858. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1858,  by 

STUART  ROBINSON, 

in  the  Clerk's  OfBce  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  in  and  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


BTEREOTTPED   BY  L.  JOHNSON  &  CO. 
PHILADELPHIA. 


r  . 


•  »  |J*J;-«*BatiU:ii,»j,  i^c   '^' 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  the  following  discourse   on  the 
Church  was  requested,  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
the  Danville  Theological  Seminary,  to  publish  an 
Inaugural  Discourse,  on  this  same  general  subject, 
delivered  before  that  body  during  the  sessions  of  the 
General  Assembly  at  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  May,  1857. 
It  occurred  to  him,  however,  that,  in  the  present 
state  of  the  Church  question,  he  might,  with  some 
additional  labor,  render  a  more  practical  service  to 
students  and  other  inquirers  on  the  subject,  by  pre- 
paring a  brief,  suggestive  outline  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  Church,  as  presented  in  the  inaugural  discourse; 
accompanied  by  the  more  important  utterances  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church   since   the  Eeformation,  con- 
cerning the  Church  and  its  government.     In  this 
way  students  are  furnished  with  the  means  of  test- 
ing the  correctness  of  the  outline,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  of  rightly  interpreting  the  received  standards 
of  our  Church,  and  tracing  the  development  of  the 
present  standards  from  the  earliest  symbols  of  Pres- 
byterian Church  government  by  the  Scotch  fathers. 
That  the  general  doctrines  of  the  following  dis- 


10  PREFACE. 

course  are  no  novelties  will  be  manifest  from  a 
comparison  of  the  discourse  itself  with  the  Appendix 
which  accompanies  it.  Save  in  so  far  as  concerns 
the  relation  of  the  civil  to  the  ecclesiastical  ]DOwer, 
the  author  is  not  aware  of  any  substantial  difference 
between  his  views  and  those  of  the  Appendix.  Nor 
is  there  any  important  difference  in  the  form  of 
stating  the  doctrines,  beyond  the  attempt  made  in 
this  outline  to  exhibit  the  logical  relations  of  the 
several  parts  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  to  its 
great  central  truth,  and  of  the  whole  to  the  Cal- 
vinistic  theory  of  theology. 

Whether  the  outline  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Church 
here  presented  shall  prove  of  any  practical  value  or 
not,  no  one  need  be  informed  of  the  practical  value 
of  the  republications  in  the  Appendix, — especially 
no  one  who  has  had  occasion  to  refer  to  these  early 
symbols  of  Presbyterianism,  and  thereby  has  been 
led  to  know  something  of  the  difficulties  of  pro- 
curing them.  For  some  cause  or  other,  they  seem 
to  have  gone  out  of  print,  or  at  least  are  to  be  ob- 
tained with  great  difficulty  in  this  country  and  even 
in  Scotland.  The  *'Schort  Somme"  of  the  first 
"  Bulk  of  Discipline"  is  published  here  as  exhibiting 
the  first  conception  of  the  Scotch  Reformers.  As  a 
clear  and  profound  statement  of  the  great  principles 
of  Church  government,  the  Second  Book  of  Dis- 
cipline is  unsurpassed,  perhaps,  in  any  language. 


PEEFACE.  11 

The  letter  of  Robert  Baillie,  the  "  notes  of  proceed- 
ing" by  Gillespie,  and  the  "votes  passed  in  the 
Westminster  Assembly  concerning  discipline  and 
government,"  are  intended  to  serve  the  double  pur- 
pose of  exhibiting  the  process  of  transition  from 
the  Second  Book  of  Discipline  to  the  Westminster 
Form  of  Government,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
process  also  by  which  the  present  standards  of  Pres- 
byterian Church  government  were  worked  out  from 
the  Scriptures,  and  that  in  the  face  of  an  opposition, 
illustrious  for  its  learning  and  ability,  contesting  the 
ground  step  by  step. 

That  the  time  is  fully  come  for  an  earnest  inculca- 
tion of  the  truth  concerning  the  Church  of  God,  no 
intelligent  Presbyterian  can  doubt.  To  say  nothing 
either  of  the  increased  activity  and  zeal  of  the 
advocates  of  an  anti-evangelical  Churchism  on  the 
one  hand,  or  of  the  prevalence  of  an  anti-ecclesi- 
astical evangelicalism  on  the  other,  it  is  sufficient  to 
reflect  that  the  very  growth  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  must  speedily  bring  on  the  issue  of  either  a 
fuller,  clearer,  and  more  general  apprehension  of  the 
distinguishing  principles  of  our  Church  order,  or  a 
dissolution  of  the  body  itself.  During  the  day  of 
small  things,  one  mind,  or,  at  most,  a  few  individual 
minds  of  great  character  and  influence,  well  esta- 
blished in  these  principles,  may  have  been  able  to 

preserve  the  unity  and  guide  the  progress  of  the 

1* 


12  PREFACE. 

body.  But  the  Presbyterian  Church  is  rapidly 
becoming  too  vast  in  its  extent,  and  too  manifold 
in  its  interests,  for  the  grasp  and  reach  of  any  one 
mind,  however  gifted.  Nothing  but  the  inherent 
truthfulness  and  power  of  the  system  itself,  and 
that  truthfulness  clearly  perceived  and  intelligently 
acted  upon  by  the  general  mass  of  those  called  to 
administer  the  affairs  of  the  Church,  can  guarantee 
its  permanence  and  further  progress.  Not  only  this 
consideration  calls  for  special  attention  to  the  sub- 
ject, but  the  still  more  important  consideration,  that 
if  the  Church  of  God  be  the  divinely-ordained 
institute,  through  which  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  call, 
gather,  and  edify  his  elect  people,  then  it  is  vital  to 
the  great  end  of  the  Church  that  the  divinely-ap- 
pointed agency  shall  be  clearly  understood  and 
reverently  administered  by  the  entire  body  of  those 
who  are  called  of  God  to  the  ministry  thereof. 

A  period  of  illness  during  that  portion  of  the  last 
vacation  allotted  to  the  preparation  of  these  pages 
for  the  press,  together  with  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
curing and  editing  the  articles  in  the  Appendix,  has 
delayed  the  publication  till  now.  And  even  now, 
being  prepared  under  a  press  of  official  duty  and 
of  private  cares,  it  must  needs  go  forth  with  but  too 
many  marks  of  haste  upon  it.  "With  no  prospect, 
however,  of  greater  leisure  in  the  future,  such  as  it 
is,  it  is  sent  forth  with  the  earnest  prayer  that  the 


PREFACE. 

Great  Head  of  the  Churcli  may  honor  it,  as  the 
means,  in  some  humble  measure,  of  exciting  the 
attention  and  directing  the  way  of  our  young  minis- 
try to  the  great  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  God. 
If  the  principles  suggested  in  this  outline  be  really 
truths  at  all,  then  they  are  vital  truths.  And  just 
in  proportion  as  their  pervading  power  shall  be  felt 
by  the  office-bearers  of  the  Church  shall  they  im- 
part a  higher  degree  of  earnestness  and  spirituality 
to  all  that  pertains  to  the  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  Christ's  kingdom. 


f  j^^  r»»^"  *-.•■!   i/- 

^      A^ZaAI  til  aOaI 


\TnEOLOGICiL 


^ 


IffiTX^l 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


FAOB 


5  1.  Indications  of  a  reawakening  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  to  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Church 25 

§2.  Indications  of  a  general  reawakening  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  from  the  past  history  and  present  position  of  the 
Church 27 

1 3.  From  the  peculiar  zeal  of  devotees  of  false  theories  of  the 
Church 28 

§4.  General  Division  of  the  subject , 29 

PART  I. 

THE    EELATION     OF     THE    IDEA    OF    THE     CHURCH     TO     THE     ETERNAL 
PURPOSE    OP   REDEMPTION. 

2  1.  The  intimate  relation  between  the  theory  of  the  Church  and 
the  theory  of  Theology  proper  is  naturally  suggested  by  the 
uniform  connection,  as  matter  of  fact,  of  particular  theories 
of  Theology  with  corresponding  views  of  the  Church.... 32 

§  2.  A  like  intimacy  of  relation  suggested  by  the  general  tenor 
of  Scripture 33 

§  3.  The  prejudice  against  these  higher  and  wider  views  of  the 
subject,  as  transcendental,  altogether  groundless 34 

§  4.  The  four    theories   of   Theology, — Papal,   Zuinglian,    Lu- 

r      theran  and  Calvinistic,  and  their  relation  to  each  other 35 

15 


16  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


2  5.  Of  the  Calviuistic  Theory  the  Eternal  Purpose  of  God  is 
the  central  truth 37 

^  G.  This  view  of  Theology  naturally  suggests  a  reference  to  the 
Eternal  Purpose  of  God  for  the  central  truth  of  Ecclesiology. 
Such  accordingly  is  found  in  the  peculiar  mode  of  the  Divine 
Purpose  to  save  sinners,  not  as  individuals  merely,  but 
as  an  elect  body  of  sinners  of  which  the  Mediator  shall  be 
Head 38 

§  7.  An  elementary  idea  of  the  Church,  which  must  enter  into 
every  form  of  the  definition  thereof,  is  this  ideal  body  of  the 
eternal  covenant 40 

§  8.  The  Church  visible  is  the  actual  development  of  this  ideal....     40 

2  9.  This  view  by  no  means  exclusive  of  the  idea  of  the  Church, 
either  as  a  means  of  manifesting  the  peculiar  nature  of  the 
Divine  purpose  as  contemplating  an  elect  body  of  men,  or 
as  an  institute  for  the  calling  and  edification  of  the  elect,  as  a 
means  of  accomplishing  his  purpose 42 

PART  II. 

THE     RELATION    OP    THE    IDEA   OF     THE    CHURCH     TO    THE     MANIFESTA- 
TION   OF   THE   DIVINE    PURPOSE   AS    REVEALED   IN    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

^  1.  The  foregoing  view  of  the  idea  of  the  Church  is  confirmed 
by  the  general  aspect  of  the  Scripture 45 

2  2.  In  the  first  place,  by  the  fact  that  the  mode  of  Revelation  is 
thi'ough  a  series  of  covenants 46 

2  3,  Importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  covenants,  especially  to 

any  true  Ecclesiology 49 

§  4.  Pre-eminence  of  the  Ecclesiological  Covenant  with  Abraham 
in  Scripture 50 

^  5.  The  Abrahamic  Covenant  holds  forth  the  Church  visible,  not 
only  as  a  development  of  the  Eternal  Purpose,  but  also  as  an 
institute,  a  means  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  Divine 
Purpose 52 

I G.  Also  gives  prominence,  in  common  with  all  the  covenants,  to        ^ 


CONTENTS.  17 


PAOB 


the  principle  that  the  children  of  the  covenanting  people  have 

a  birthright  to  the  privileges  of  it 53 

§  7.  It  is  assumed  in  this  argument  that  all  the  covenants  have 
primarily  a  spiritual  significancy,  since  any  other  interpre- 
tation is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  word..     55 

^  8.  The  foregoing  argument  is  cumulated  by  a  reference  to  the 
general  character  of  the  subject-matter  of  Scripture 57 

§  9,  And  again  by  the  fact  that  this  view  develops  in  a  most 
striking  manner  the  unity  of  idea  and  method  in  the 
Scripture 58 

g  10.  Still  further  in  the  fact  that  this  view  exhibits  the  unity 
of  the  plan  of  salvation  as  administered  through  all  ages  of 
inspiration 61 

§  11.  And  also  the  unity  of  the  Church's  faith  unto  salvation 62 

§  12.  And  it  will  be  found  that,  with  the  key  which  this  view 
furnishes  to  their  interpretation,  the  Scriptures  exhibit  the 
actual  visible  Church  as  substantially  the  same  in  all  ages, 
under  the  same  administration  of  the  Mediatorial  King 63 

^  13.  And  the  still  more  remarkable  fact  of  the  visible  Church 
as  under  the  same  external  form  of  government  in  all  ages....     65 

^  14.  In  harmony  with  all  the  foregoing  views,  according  to  the 
Scriptures  all  the  revelations,  covenants,  ordinances,  and  pro- 
mises of  God  have  been  communicated  to  the  Church  as 
such,  and  not  to  the  race  as  such 67 

^  15.  General  results  from  this  argument.  First,  the  germinal 
idea  of  the  Church  is  in  the  ideal  body  of  the  Covenant 
of  Redemption.  Secondly,  the  external  Church  is  a  necessary 
result  of  the  manifestation  of  the  Eternal  Purpose.  Third, 
the  mode  of  the  revelation  accords  with  this  relation  between 
the  ideal  and  the  actual  Church.  Fourth,  the  visible  Church 
is  essentially  one  in  all  ages,  however  it  may  vary  in  degree 
of  light,  purity,  and  forms  of  worship :  hence  the  comparative 
silence  of  Scripture  concerning  its  constitution  of  govern- 
ment.    Fifth,  a  proper  definition  of  the  Church,  as  a  com- 


18  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


plex  idea,  must  not  only  enumerate  tte  elementary  ideas 
thereof,  but  in  their  logical  order  of  arrangement  also. 
Variations  in  the  extent  of  meaning  of  the  word  "Church"...     68 

§16.  These  general  views  accord  with  the  definition  of  the 
Church,  as  an  article  of  Calvinistic  doctrine,  in  the  25th 
chapter  of  the  Westminster  Confession. , 73 

§  17.  Necessity  of  the  preceding  course  of  argument  as  pre- 
liminary to  any  right  understanding  of  what  the  Scriptures 
teach  concerning  Church  government  and  ordinances  of 
worship 74 

PART  in. 

THE    EELATION    TO    THE     IDEA   OF     THE    CHURCH    OF     THE     PBINCIPLE3 
OF   CHFKCH   GOVEENMENT    SET   FORTH   IN    SCRIPTURE. 

^  1.  General  division  of  the  subject  of  government  twofold. 
First,  the  abstract  principles,  underlying  the  structure. 
Second,  the  concrete  forms  in  which  these  principles  are  found 
embodied.  Under  the  first  head  four  general  classes  of 
truths , 78 

g  2.  The  source  of  all  Church  power  is  primarily  Jesus  Christ 
the  Mediator 79 

2  3.  This  power  when  delegated  is  vested,  not  in  either  the 
people  as  such  nor  in  the  oflBcers  of  the  Church,  but  in  the 
body  contemplated  as  an  organic  body,  consisting  of  rulers 
and  ruled.  The  call,  qualification,  and  commission  to  minis- 
ters is  from  the  Head  of  the  Church;  the  vocation  to  the 
exercise  of  the  ministry  is  from  the  people 80 

§  4.  The  power  of  rule  in  the  Church  is  a  joint  power,  and  to  be 
exercised  through  tribunals  only,  and  only  for  spiritual  ends.     82 

2  5.  The  civil  distinct  from  ecclesiastical  power  in  five  particulars, 
viz:  the  source,  the  rule  for  guidance,  the  scope  and  aim, 
the  significant  symbols,  and  the  mode  of  exercise  thereof 84 

§  6.  These  distinctions  not  arbitrary  or  incidental,  but  intrinsic 


CONTENTS.  19 

PAQB 

and  fundamental,  and  exclusive  of  all  idea  of  any  union  of 
the  two  or  of  any  concurrent  jurisdiction 86 

§  7.  As  to  the  second  general  class  of  truths,  the  Scriptures  go 
further  than  the  enunciation  of  the  abstract  truths.  The 
nature  of  the  case  requires  the  setting  forth  of  the  offices  to 
be  discharged  in  the  Church 88 

^  8.  As  there  is  of  necessity  a  threefold  office  to  be  discharged, 
so  the  Scriptures  hold  forth  three  classes  of  officers 89 

^  9.  It  affects  not  the  argument  for  the  offices  as  intrinsically 
threefold,  that  at  various  periods  of  inspiration  God  hath  set  • 
extraordinary  officers  in  the  Church 90 

g  10.  As  to  the  courts  of  the  Church,  they  are  determined  by 
what  has  already  been  shown  of  the  nature  and  the  definition 
of  the  Church 92 

g  11.  Accordingly,  the  Scriptures  hold  forth  the  government  of 
the  Church,  under  every  dispensation,  as  by  a  series  of  tri- 
bunals corresponding  with  the  various  extents  of  signification 
in  which  the  Church  may  be  defined 93 

^  12.  Summary  of  fundamental  facts  concerning  the  form  of 
Government  of  the  Apostolic  Church 94 

PART  lY. 

THE   EELATION     TO    THE    IDEA    OF.  THE    CHURCH    OF     THE    ORDINANCES 
OF   WORSHIP    SET   FORTH   IN    SCRIPTURE. 

^  1.  The  fundamental  ground  and  the  essential  nature  of  public 
worship,  determined  by  the  relation  of  worship  to  the  idea  of 
the  Church,  is  a  communion  between  the  body  and  the  Head 
thereof. 103 

1  2.  What  are  the  divinely  appointed  ordinances  of  worship 105 

^  3.  In  the  relation  of  these  ordinances  to  the  idea  of  the  Church 

lies  the  fundamental  distinction  between  them  and  all  other 
forms  of  thought  among  men 106 

2  4.  Still  more  direct  and  intimate  is  the  relation  of  the  sacra- 

2 


20  CONTEXTS. 


PAGE 


ments  to  the  idea  of  the  Church,  since  the  sacraments  arise 
from  and  are  the  seals  of  a  covenant  between  God  and  his 
elect  people 108 

§  5.  The  distinguishing  mark  of  the  sacraments  as  seals  is,  that 
the  seal  is  so  constituted  as  to  be  a  sign  of  the  blessings  sig- 
nified in  the  covenant Ill 

g/6.  Circumcision  and  Baptism  the  ordinances  through  which  the 
visible  Church  is  perpetuated.  The  Passover  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  a  perpetual  attestation  of  His  promise  to  be  the 
Deliverer  of  His  covenant  people 112 

^  7.  These  general  principles,  rightly  expounded  and  logically 
aiTanged,  constitute  the  science  of  the  Church  of  God 114 


CONCLUDINa   OBSERVATIONS. 

g  1.  If  there  be  such  a  positive  doctrine  of  the  Church  revealed, 
then  there  is  no  place  for  a  via  media  ;  nor  can  the  true 
amalgamate  with  any  other  theory 116 

^  2.  This  illustrated  by  a  parallel  comparison  of  the  theories  of 
Presbytery,  Independency,  and  Prelacy,  showing  how  they 
differ  in  their  fundamental  idea,  and,  each  being  consistent 
with  itself,  they  differ  also  in  every  important  detail 116 

§  3.  From  the  nature  of  the  case,  there  is  no  place  for  human 
traditions,  expediencies,  and  ingenuities  in  respect  to  the 
order  and  ordinances,  any  more  than  in  respect  to  the  creed, 
of  the  Church 121 

g  4.  The  current  prejudice  against  the  principle  of  Divine  warrant 
founded  upon  mere  fallacy  and  misconception  of  the  true  idea 
of  the  Church 124 

g  5.  Clear  views  of  the  Divine  appointment  of  all  that  pertains 
to  the  government  and  worship  of  the  Church  necessarily 
tend  to  higher,  more  earnest  and  spiritual  views  of  the 
Church  and  her  work ,.-.  125 

I  6.  Special  call  upon  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 


CONTENTS.  21 

PAGS 

States  to  testify  for  these  truths,  from  her  past  history  and 

from  her  present  position 126 

^  7.  The  true  organon  of  the  science  of  the  Church, — the  word 
of  God 129 

APPENDIX. 

Ane  Schort  Somme  of  the  First  Buik  of  Discipline T 

The  Second  Buik  of  Discipline,  or  Headis  and  Conclusiones  of 

the  Policie  of  the  Kirk xix 

Robert  Baillie's  Letter,  1643 1 

Extracts  from  Gillespie's  Notes  of  Procedure  in  the  Westminster 

Assembly Ivii 

The  Votes  passed  in   the  Westminster  Assembly  concerning 

Discipline  and  Government Ixvii 

The   Form  of  Government  agreed  upon  by  the  Westminster 

Assembly Ixxvii 


GLOSSARY. 


Though  the  First  and  Second  Books  of  Discipline  are  written  in 
tlie  classical  English  of  the  sixteenth  century  and  contain  few  words 
peculiar  to  the  Scottish  dialect,  yet  they  have  descended  to  us  so 
changed  in  spelling  that  a  few  directions  to  the  reader  may  in  some 
cases  be  useful.  1.  There  being  no  w  in  the  alphabet  then,  where  qu 
occurs  at  the  beginning  of  words  pronounce  it  as  w.  Thus,  quhilk^ 
whilk ;  quhom,  whom.  2.  Words  beginning  2  pronounce  y,  as  zeiriSf 
years.  8.  The  plural  is  here  formed  by  adding  is  to  the  singular : 
the  i  is  now  omitted.  The  possessive  is  also  formed  by  adding  is,  of 
which  we  now  omit  the  i,  but  indicate  the  elision  by  an  apostrophe. 
We  add  a  few  words,  which  seem  to  us  to  be  the  most  difficult. 

Ainis Once. 

Alanerly Alone,  only. 

Ane  or  mae One  or  more. 

Aneuch Enough. 

Beand Being. 

Biggings Buildings. 

Bruik Enjoy. 

Buirdit Boarded. 

Cors  -  present An  offering  of  the  best  beast  belonging  to 

a  person  deceased  to  the  parish  priest. 

Consumit Consumed. 

Cuir Care,  cure. 

Dotit Given,  donated. 

Exemit Exempt. 

Eschewit Avoided.  . 

Fewes  and  tacks Feudal  tenures  and  leases. 

For  sa  meikle Forasmuch. 

Foundations Donations  or  legacies  for  the  support  of 

some  institution. 

Ganging Going. 

2*  23 


24  GLOSSAET. 

Geif  or  gif, Give,  or  if. 

Helsome Wholesome. 

Hip Hop. 

Hoip Hope. 

Ingyx^e To  wheel  into;  intrude. 

Intromet Intermeddle. 

A  landwart In  the  country. 

Ladi% The  Virgin  Mary. 

Lowsing Loosing. 

Leveris Livers. 

Man Must. 

Mortifications Things  bequeathed  by  the  dead. 

Noch No. 

None Noon. 

Oblishit Obligated. 

Paip Pope. 

Privie Private. 

Prescryves Prescribes. 

Quhilk Which. 

Quhom Whom. 

Rewl Rule. 

Sanctis Saints. 

Spulzeit Spoiled. 

Taken Token. 

Teinds Tjthes  or  rents  due  for  ecclesiastical 

purposes. 

Travelling Labouring. 

Voce Voice. 

Wechtie Weighty. 

Zeiris Years. 

Zit Yet. 


THE 

CHURCH  OF  GOD 

AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


INTRODUCTION 


§  1.  Indications  of  a  reawakening  in  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  to  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Church.  ^  2.  Like  indications,  from  the  general  law  of  develop- 
ment, in  the  history  of  the  Church  at  large.  ^  3.  Also,  from  the 
peculiar  zeal,  in  this  age,  of  the  devotees  of  false  theories  of  the 
Church.     ^  4.  General  fourfold  division  of  the  subject. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that,  for  the  second  time 
within  as  many  years,  the  representatives  of  the 
General  Assembly  and  of  the  whole  Church 
should  have  met  to  inaugurate,  in  a  second  of 
the  three  theological  schools  of  the  General 
Assembly,  a  teacher  charged  exclusively  with 
the  work  of  training  the  rising  ministry  to  scrip- 
tural views  of  the  nature,  the  functions,  the  or- 
ganization and  administration  of  the  Church  of 
God.  It  is  well  known  that  such  an  arrangement 
of  the  departments  in  our  theological  schools  is 
but  recent  among  us.  What  is  called  the  depart- 
ment of  Church-government  and   pastoral  theo- 

25 


26  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

logy  has  hitherto  been  distributed  among  other 
departments  of  the  course,  as  though  no  adequate 
conception  had  been  formed  of  the  essential  unity 
of  its  several  parts.  And  thus,  overshadowed  by 
a  connection  with  other  more  prominent  subjects 
and  made  to  occupy  a  secondary  position,  the 
estimate  of  its  relative  importance  has  generally 
corresponded  with  its  position  in  the  scheme  of 
study.  As  a  necessary  consequence,  the  instruc- 
tion in  this  branch  of  sacred  science  has  been 
confined  to  a  f6w  details  touching  the  nature  and 
grounds  of  Presbyterianism,  the  errors  of  the 
more  popular  forms  of  Church-government  to 
which  it  stands  opposed,  and  a  few  of  the  more 
obvious  duties  of  the  pastoral  office.  May  not 
this  change  of  the  scheme  of  theological  study 
be  taken,  therefore,  as  an  indication  of  a  re- 
awakening of  the  Church  in  this  day  to  some 
profounder  consciousness  of  those  great  truths 
which  signalized  the  martyr-age  of  our  mother- 
Church  of  Scotland,  and  especially  the  truth  that 
a  divinely-constituted  Church  on  earth  is  a  funda- 
mental fact  of  the  revealed  counsels  of  God?  If, 
as  has  so  often  been  said,  tvords  are  things,  not 
less  truly  things  are  ivords, — often  great,  eloquent 
words,  transcending  any  power  of  articulate 
speech.  Such  a  word  is  this  thing, — the  Church, 
through  her  representatives,  reaffirming  at  Dan- 
ville, as  her  deliberate  and  growing  conviction, 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF  THE  GOSPEL.         27 

her  first  utterance  at  Princeton  two  years  since, 
that  the  great  doctrines  relating  to  the  Church 
ought  to  be  brought  prominently  forward,  as  con- 
stituting a  distinct  department  of  sacred  science, 
as  deserving  the  undivided  attention  of  one  teacher 
in  four,  and  one-fourth  of  the  time  and  attention 
of  her  young  men  in  training  for  the  ministry. 

And  this  indication  is  the  more  significant  when 
considered  not  in  itself  singly,  but  in  connection 
with  all  the  tendencies  of  the  Church  for  twenty 
years  past.  Thus  considered,  it  cannot  but  be 
regarded  as  an  evidence  of  the  progressive  ad- 
vance in  the  Church  toward  a  clearer  apprehen- 
sion of  the  importance  of  the  truth  concerning 
the  Church  as  Christ's  own  appointed  instrumen- 
tality, of  which  even  the  indistinct  and  partial 
apprehension  were  sufficient  to  effect  her  wonder- 
ful deliverance  twenty  years  since. 

§  2.  It  is  the  striking  observation  of  a  modern 
German  thinker — after  arranging  the  entire  cycle 
of  sacred  knowledge  into  the  four  categories 
(1)  Theology,  the  science  of  God,  (2)  Anthropo- 
logy,  the   science   of   man  as  related  to   God, 

(3)  Soterology,   the    science   of   salvation,   and 

(4)  Ecclesiology,  the  science  of  the  Church  of 
God — that  the  history  of  the  Church  since  the 
apostles  seems  to  have  been  a  development  in 
succession  of  each  of  these  four  in  their  order. 
The  first  of  these  had  its  full  development  during 


28  THE   CHURCH  OF  GOD 

the  controversies  concerning  the  nature  of  the 
Godhead  which  closed  with  the  labours  of  Atha- 
nasius ;  the  second,  during  the  Pelagian  contro- 
versy closing  with  the  labours  of  Augustine. 
Next,  after  a  thousand  years  of  repose  and 
silence  in  the  Church,  was  developed  the  third, 
(Soterology,)  through  the  labours  of  Luther  and 
Calvin,  proclaiming  salvation  as  by  grace  through 
faith;  leaving  the  fourth,  Ecclesiology,  yet  to  be 
developed.  Do  not  the  providences  of  God  to- 
ward the  American  Church  in  freeing  her  from 
the  civil  domination  which,  by  violence  or  seduc- 
tion, silenced  the  martyr-voice  of  her  Scotch  mo- 
ther when  she  would  testify  for  Christ's  crown 
and  covenant,  and  in  placing  the  Church  here  in 
a  position  (for  the  first  time,  perhaps,  since  the 
apostles)  to  actualize  fully  and  without  hinder- 
ance  her  true  nature  and  functions  as  a  spiritual 
commonwealth, — do  not  all  seem  to  indicate  that 
the  time  has  fully  come  for  the  final  develop- 
ment of  the  visible  Church  as  a  governmental 
power  on  earth,  yet  a  kingdom  not  of  this  world,* 
a  people  not  reckoned  among  the  nations  ?f 

§  3.  Not  the  least  remarkable  of  the  indica- 
tions of  a  general  awakening  of  Protestantism  to 
a  reconsideration  and  more  perfect  development 

*  Jolm  xviii.  36.  f  Num.  xxiii.  9. 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.'        29 

of  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  is  the  prevalent 
movement  in  a  portion  of  modern  Protestantism 
which  seems  to  be  rekindling  the  zeal  of  errorists 
in  behalf  of  corrupt  systems  of  ecclesiology, — 
and  these  among  even  the  most  preposterous  and 
those  most  thoroughly  exploded  by  the  fathers 
of  the  Reformation.  The  overruling  providence 
of  God  seems  to  be  permitting  Antichrist  to  utter 
great  swelling  words  of  vanity  and  to  defy  the 
armies  of  the  living  God,  as  if  to  the  very  end 
that  the  laggard  spirit  of  his  evangelical  people 
may  be  aroused  once  more  to  set  up  the  true 
banner  of  the  Church  against  the  enemy  coming 
in  like  a  flood. 

Is  it  too  much  to  hope  that  the  recent  promi- 
nence given  to  this  branch  of  sacred  science  in 
our  schools  for  the  training  of  the  ministry  may 
be  the  actual  setting  up  of  that  banner? — that 
all  this  is  indicative  of  a  movement  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  upon  the  mind  of  the  Church,  awakening 
her  to  teach  more  earnestly  and  act  more  vigor- 
ously in  accordance  with  her  glorious  posture  and 
the  leadings  of  Divine  Providence? 

§  4.  The  present  would  seem,  therefore,  to  be 
an  eminently  proper  occasion  for  some  discussion 
of  the  fundamental  jorinciples  upon  which  a  sci- 
ence of  the  Church  must  be  established.  And  all 
the  indications  of  the  present  temper  and  spirit 


30  THE   CHUECH   OF   GOD 

of  the  Church  would  seem  to  be  favourable  for  a 
hearing  on  such  a  subject.  It  is  the  purpose  of 
this  discourse  to  exhibit  briefly  that  conception 
of  the  Church  of  God  and  of  its  relation  to  the 
revealed  purpose  of  redemption^  out  of  which 
springs  the  idea  of  a  positive  science  of  the 
Church,  as  a  distinct  and  fundamental  branch  of 
revealed  knowledge.  Of  this  general  subject 
there  are  two  comprehensive  branches; — the  one, 
concerning  the  idea  of  the  Church  in  itself,  and 
as  related  to  the  theology  of  redemption  in  gene- 
ral;— the  other,  the  relation  to  the  idea  of  the 
Church  thus  settled,  of  what  is  revealed  con- 
cerning the  government  of  the  spiritual  common- 
wealth, and  the  ordinances  thereof. 

But  the  whole  subject  will,  perhaps,  have  its 
briefest,  clearest,  and,  at  the  same  time,  most 
exhaustive  illustration,  by  an  analysis  thereof, 
and  a  consideration  in  their  order  of  the  following 
four  parts : — 

1.  The  relation  of  the  idea  of  the  Church  to 
the  plan  of  redemption  ideally  in  the  eternal  pur- 
pose of  God. 

2.  The  relation  of  the  idea  of  the  Church  to 
the  mode  and  structure  and  the  subject-matter  of 
the  revelation  of  the  Divine  purpose  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

3.  The  relation  to  the  idea  of  the  Church  thus 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.  31 

obtained  of  the  principles  of  spiritual  government 
as  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures. 

4.  The  relation  to  the  idea  of  the  Church  of 
the  ordinances  of  worship  and  the  agencies  ap- 
pointed to  the  Churchy  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. 


32  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 


PART  I. 

OP  THE  RELATION  OP  THE  IDEA  OP  THE  CHURCH  TO  THE 
PLAN  OF  REDEMPTION  IDEALLY  IN  THE  ETERNAL  PUR- 
POSE OF  GOD. 

§  1.  Some  intimate  relation  between  the  theory  of  the  Church 
and  Theology  proper  is  naturally  suggested  by  the  uniform  con- 
nection, as  matter  of  fact,  between  peculiar  views  in  theology  and 
corresponding  views  of  the  Church.  §  2.  A  similar  intimacy  of 
relation  is  suggested  by  the  general  tenor  of  Scripture.  ^  3.  The 
prejudice  against  these  higher  and  wider  views  of  the  subject, 
as  transcendental,  is  unreasonable.  |4.  The  four  theories  of 
theology, — Papal,  Zuinglian,  Lutheran,  and  Calvinistio.  ^5.  Of 
the  Calvinistio  theory  of  theology  the  Eternal  Purpose  of  God 
is  the  central  truth,  and  modifies  the  view  of  all  other  divine 
truth.  ^  6.  This  view  naturally  suggests  a  like  central  truth  in 
Ecclesiology:  such  central  truth  is  found  in  the  mode  of  the  Eter- 
nal Purpose, — ^viz.:  to  save  sinners  not  merely  as  individuals,  but 
as  constituting  an  elect  body,  of  which  the  Mediator  shall  be  the 
Head.  ^  7.  An  elementary  idea  of  the  Church,  and  entering  into 
every  form  of  the  definition  of  it,  is  this  ideal  body  of  the  Eternal 
Covenant.  §  8.  The  Church,  as  actual  and  visible,  is  primarily  the 
development  of  this  ideal.  §9.  This  statement  is  not  exclusive 
of  the  idea  of  the  actual  Church,  as  a  means  of  manifesting  to 
men  the  peculiar  mode  of  the  purpose  to  save  an  elect  body,  or 
as  an  institute  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  purpose  of  grace  in 
the  calling,  gathering  and  edifying  of  the  elect. 

§1.  ThxVT  the  question  of  the  Church  has  an 
intnnate  relation  to  the  general  scheme  of  Re- 
demptioUj  and  therefore  to  Theology  proper,  would 
naturally  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  so  imi- 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         3 


o 


formly  in  ecclesiastical  history  a  particular  theory 
of  theology  is  found  connected  with  a  particular 
theory  of  the  Church.  Making  all  due  allowance 
for  exceptions  arising  out  of  the  inconsistencies 
of  individual  minds,  as  a  general  rule,  it  is  found 
true  that  bodies  of  men  (always  more  consistent, 
and  more  apt  to  be  governed  by  the  necessities  of 
an  inexorable  logic,  than  individual  minds)  if  hold- 
ing any  special  views  in  theology,  have  correspond- 
ing views,  right  or  wrong,  of  the  idea  and  nature 
of  the  Church ;  and,  vice  versa,  if  peculiar  views 
of  the  Church,  then  also  corresponding  views  of 
theology.  Thus,  a  Rationalistic  theology  is  most 
commonly  found  in  connection  with  an  Erastian 
or  an  Independent  theory  of  the  Church.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  Prelatical  theory  of  the  Church 
almost  uniformly  stands  in  connection  with  a 
theology  of  mere  sacramentalism.  A  Calvinistic 
theology  seldom  remains  long  incorrupt  except 
as  held  in  connection  with  a  Presbyterian  theory 
of  the  Church.  Such  facts,  whatever  be  the  ex- 
planation of  them,  seem  to  indicate  at  least  so 
much  connection  between  theories  of  theology  and 
theories  of  the  Church  as  to  suggest  an  examina- 
tion into  the  ideal  relation  between  them,  prelimi- 
nary to  a  right  understanding  of  the  structure  of 
the  Church. 

§  2.  Considering,  moreover,  the   relation   sug- 
gested everywhere  in  the  Scriptures  between  the 


34  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

Church  of  God  and  the  great  scheme  of  Redemp- 
tion, it  would  seem  to  be  the  natural  order  of 
thought  to  begin  the  study  of  the  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  Church  with  an  endeavour  to  ascertain 
its  position  in  the  general  scheme  of  salvation  of 
which  it  forms  a  constituent  part.  And  when  it 
is  considered  how  immense  is  the  power  of  a  great 
central  idea,  once  truly  fixed  in  its  relations,  in 
aiding  to  evolve  the  details  of  a  complex  system 
of  thought, — when  it  is  considered,  furthermore, 
that  in  no  other  system  of  thought  is  this  power 
of  a  central  idea  so  great  as  in  that  revealed  sys- 
tem which  is  in  itself  the  evolving  of  one  great 
idea  that  lay  in  the  Divine  Mind  from  eternity, 
— there  can  no  longer  be  any  doubt  as  to  the  reason- 
ableness and  propriety  of  this  method  of  develop- 
ing the  theory  of  the  Church. 

§  3.  There  is  a  current  prejudice,  indeed,  against 
any  such  reasoning,  as  transcendental  and  beyond 
the  sphere  of  practical  thought.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten,  however,  that  by  celestial  observations 
only  can  safe  and  practical  terrestrial  charts  be 
constructed.  And  whilst  the  mariner  may  indeed 
learn  to  find  his  way  over  the  ocean  by  his  chart, 
as  men  learn  a  trade,  yet,  in  order  to  any  true  and 
intelligent  guidance  by  the  chart,  scientific  obser- 
vation, to  determine  the  relations  of  the  earth  to 
bodies  in  the  heavens,  becomes  a  prime  necessity, 
and  in  the  highest  sense  is  practical  knowledge. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         35 

So  in  every  departpient  of  revealed  knowledge, 
they  alone  shall  succeed  in  obtaining  adequate 
conceptions  of  the  significancy  of  the  several 
parts  thereof,  and  the  highest  practical  knowledge 
of  the  whole,  who,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  shall  have  studied  the  "pattern  in 
the  heavens,"  as  it  existed  in  the  mind  of  the 
Infinite  Author  of  salvation, 

§4.  Since  the  Reformation,  four  chief  theories, 
and  these  inclusive  of  all  other  theories  of  re- 
vealed theology,  have  had  currency  in  Christen- 
dom,— the  Papal,  the  Zuinglian,  the  Lutheran, 
and  the  Calvinistic.  Of  these  the  first  named  is 
the  original  error  against  which  the  last  three  may 
be  regarded  as  successive  forms  of  just  protest. 
All  three  of  these  protests  are  true  in  their  gene- 
ral idea  intrinsically,  and  successful  in  developing 
the  chief  truths  of  the  gospel,  but  with  widely- 
different  degrees  of  clearness  and  completeness, 
and  with  still  more  v/idely-difierent  degrees  of 
success  in  preserving  pure  and  incorrupt  the  doc- 
trines of  grace.  Recurring  again  to  the  analogy 
just .  employed,  these  four  theories  may  not  un- 
aptly be  compared,  as  to  their  relative  value,  with 
the  four  different  theories  of  the  visible  universe 
which  have  in  different  ages  had  currency  in  the 
world.  The  Papal  theory  of  theology,  like  the 
ancient  mythological  theory  of  the  universe,  scarce 
pretended  to  have  any  foundation  other  than  in 

3* 


36  THE   CHTJECH   OF   GOD 

mere  human  fancies  and  its  general  prevalence 
among  men.  And  just  as  the  Ptolemaic,  the 
Copernican,  and  the  still  more  modern  theory  of 
the  Mecanique  Celeste,  are  successive  protests 
against  the  mere  prejudices  and  dreams  of  men; 
yea,  just  as  by  each  of  them  the  fundamental 
facts  of  the  Cosmos  had  in  some  sort  their  expla- 
nation, but  with  different  degrees  of  consistency, 
clearness  and  beauty,  so  with  the  three  Protest- 
ant theories  of  theology.  The  Zuinglian,  taking 
as  the  central  principle  of  its  structure  the  truth 
that  the  word  of  God  alone  can  be  any  authorita- 
tive rule  to  the  conscience,  developed  from  that 
point  a  true,  in  opposition  to  a  counterfeit  gospel ; 
yet  a  gospel  too  easily  perverted  by  reason  of  its 
tendency  to  exalt  the  rational  man  of  earth  into 
a  centre  of  the  spiritual  system,  or  at  least,  from 
its  narrowness  of  view,  to  obscure  the  higher 
truths  of  the  scheme  of  Redemption.  The  Lu- 
theran theory,  taking  as  its  central  principle  the 
justification  of  the  sinner  by  grace  alone  through 
faith,  after  the  fashion  of  Copernicus,  exhibited 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  as  the 
real  centre,  to  whom  the  rational  man  of  earth, 
with  all  that  concerns  him,  is  attracted,  and  around 
whom  he  revolves.  Calvin,  whilst  perceiving 
that  the  central  truths  of  both  Zuingle  and  Luther 
were  indeed  great  truths,  yet,  with  the  still  wider 
vision  of  La  Place  and  the  moderns,  beheld  not 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         37 

only  the  rational  man  revolving  around  the  media- 
torial Sun  of  righteousness  as  his  true  centre, 
but  also  that  man  and  his  Central  Sun  revolved 
again  around  a  still  profounder  centre,  even  the 
Eternal  Purpose  of  God,  fixed  in  the  counsels  of 
eternity  before  the  world  began.  Such,  generally, 
is  the  relative  230sition  to  the  others  of  that  re- 
markable theory  of  theology  which,  however 
men  have  cavilled  at,  they  must  be  constrained  to 
admit  both  its  singular  accordance  with  the  very 
language,  and  its  logical  development  and  eluci- 
dation of  all  the  great  facts,  of  revelation. 

§  5.  Of  this  system  of  theology  the  eternal  pur- 
pose of  God  is,  ideally,  the  great  central  truth. 
All  that  has  transpired  under  the  reign  of  grace 
and  under  the  administration  of  Providence,  since 
the  world  began,  is  conceived  of  as  simply  the 
gradual  manifestation  in  time  of  the  purpose 
formed  from  eternity.*  The  revelation  which 
God  has  made  of  himself  in  his  word  is  but 
the  record  of  the  execution  of  his  Eternal  Decree, 
and  the  publication  to  the  world  in  time  of  the 
proceedings  had  in  the  counsels  of  eternity. 
The  revelation  of  Himself  experimentally  to  the 
souls  of  his  people  is  but  the  manifestation  of  the 
love  wherewith  he  loved  them  before  the  world 
began.     Every  syllable  of  truth  revealed  in  the 

*  Eph.  i.  4-12,  iii.  9-11 ;  Rom.  viii.  28-33;  Jolin  xvii.  2-5. 


8  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 


Scriptures  is  conceived  of  as  having  its  signifi- 
cance and  its  importance  determined  by  its  rela- 
tion to  the  purpose  previously  existing  in  the  Di- 
vine Mind ;  so  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Decree  and 
Predestination  of  God  is  not  so  much  a  doctrine 
of  Calvinism — one  distinct  truth  in  a  system  of 
truth — as  a  mode  of  conceiving  and  setting 
forth  all  the  doctrines  which  make  up  revealed 
theology. 

§  6.  Now,  pursuing  the  hint  already  suggested 
touching  the  connection  between  the  system  of 
theology  and  the  idea  of  the  Church,  and  taking 
this  theory  of  Calvin  as  correct,  a  sure  and  reli- 
able central  point  will  be  found  for  the  doctrine 
of  the  Church,  likewise,  in  the  eternal  purpose  of 
God.  For  the  fundamental  idea  of  the  Church 
as  a  separate  and  distinct  portion  of  the  human 
race  is  found  in  the  peculiar  mode  of  that  j)urpose 
itself.  It  is  set  forth  as  a  distinguishing  feature 
of  the  purpose  of  redemption,  that  it  is  to  save 
not  merely  myriads  of  men  as  individual  7nen,  but 
myriads  of  sinners,  as  composing  a  Mediatorial 
body,  of  which  the  Mediator  shall  be  the  head  ;* 
a  Mediatorial  Kingdom,  whose  government  shall 
be  upon  His  shoulderf  forever;  a  Church,  the 
Lamb's  Bride,  of  which  He  shall  be  the  Husband; J 
a  bride  whose  beautiful  portrait  was  graven  upon 

*  Col.  i.  18-20.  t  Isa.  ix.  6,  7.  %  Eph.  v.  20. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF    THE    GOSPEL.         39 

the  palms  of  his  hcancls,  and  whose  walls  were 
continually  before  him,*  when  in  the  counsels  of 
eternity  he  undertook  her  redemption. 

The  mission  of  Messiah,  undertaken  in  the 
covenant  of  eternity,  was  not  merely  that  of  a 
teaching  Pro]3het  and  an  atoning  Priest,  but  of  a 
ruling  King  as  well.  His  work  was  not  to  enun- 
ciate simply  a  doctrine  concerning  God  and  man's 
relations  to  God,  as  some  Socrates,  for  the  found- 
ing of  a  school;  nor  even  merely  to  atone  for  sin- 
ners as  a  ministering  priest  at  the  altar :  it  was, 
as  the  result  of  all,  and  the  reward  of  all,  to  found 
a  community^  to  organize  a  government^  and  adminis- 
ter therein  as  a  perpetual  king. 

It  will  be  perceived,  therefore,  that  the  primary 
and  fundamental  conception  of  the  Church  of  God 
has  its  germinal  source  far  back  in  the  purpose  of 
God,  and  that  the  Church  naturally  and  necessa- 
rily grows  out  of  the  very  form  and  mode  of  the 
scheme  of  redemption  for  sinners,  as  it  lay  in  the 
Infinite  Mind.  As  the  purpose  was  to  redeem  not 
only  elect  sinners,  but  a  body  of  elect  sinners, — 
an  organic  body  with  all  its  parts  related  to  each 
other,  and  the  Mediator  himself  the  head  thereof, 
— it  is  manifest  that  in  that  purpose  is  involved 
ideally  the  Church  as  an  elect  portion  of  the  race 
under  the  Headship  of  the  Messiah,  and  distinct 

*Isa.  xlix.  16. 


40  THE   CHURCH    OF   GOD 

from  anotlier  and  reprobate  portion  of  tlie  human 
fixmily. 

§  7.  The  elementary  conception  of  the  Church, 
therefore,  and  that  conception  of  it  which  must 
be  presupposed  and  enter  into  every  definition  of 
the  Church,  is  of  that  elect  body  of  men  which 
was  contemplated  in  the  covenant  of  redemption, 
as  constituting  the  mediatorial  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  for  the  sake  of  which  body  he  undertook  the 
work  of  salvation.  Other  elements,  as  we  shall 
see,  must  necessaiily  enter  into  the  definition  as 
this  ideal  of  the  purpose  of  God  becomes  actual  in 
the  external  manifestation  of  the  pm^pose  in  time ; 
but  this  element  must  obviously  be  found  involved 
in  any  and  every  form  which  the  notion  of  the 
Church,  as  actual  and  external,  can  take.  In  this 
view  of  the  case  is  found  the  reason  for  the  fact 
that  a  Calvinistic  theology  cannot  long  retain  its 
integrity  and  purity  save  in  connection  with  a 
Calvinistic  ecclesiology,  and  for  the  more  general 
fact,  already  referred  to,  of  the  intimate  con- 
nection between  a  wrong  theology  and  wrong 
views  of  the  Church. 

§  8.  As  the  general  ideal  purpose  of  God  becomes 
actual  and  revealed  in  time,  so  every  part  of  the 
purpose  hae  its  corresponding  actual  external 
manifestation.  The  Mediator  of  the  ideal  eternal 
covenant  becomes  the  Jehovah,  in  various  forms 
manifesting  himself  to  men;   the   Angel  of  the 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         41 

covenant,  not  only  the  ideal  covenant  of  redemp- 
tion, but  of  the  actual  covenant  of  grace,  in  its 
successive  renewals  and  various  forms ;  the  King 
of  Zion;  the  Word,  speaking  at  sundry  times  and 
in  divers  manners  to  the  fathers,  and  in  the  last 
time  becoming  incarnate  to  finish  the  atonement 
for  sin;  the  ascended  Son  of  Man,  that  hath  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  to  send  forth  the  Holy 
Spirit,  as  his  Vicar,  to  carry  on  the  work  of  re- 
demption on  earth  till  he  shall  return  a  second 
time  in  glory. 

So  in  like  manner  the  ideal  eJdeJdoi  of  the  cove- 
nant of  redemption  become  the  actual  Jdetoi  (called 
ones)  of  the  manifested  purpose  in  time.  Inas- 
much as  they  are  called  by  an  external  Idesis  of 
the  word,  they  are  gathered  in  successive  genera- 
tions to  constitute  the  external  eJcJdesia  on  earth. 
In  as  far  as  they  are  called  also  by  the  internal 
Jdesis  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  gathered  to  constitute 
the  invisible  eJcMesia,  the  full  and  complete  actual 
of  the  eternal  ideal.  For  whilst,  indeed,  the  ef- 
fectual call  of  the  Spirit  can  alone  fulfil  the  pro- 
mise of  the  eternal  covenant  to  Messiah,  yet,  as 
that  call  is  externally  through  the  word  and  the 
visible  ordinances,  the  very  process  of  calhng  and 
preparing  the  elect  of  God  creates  the  visible 
Church  in  the  very  image  of  the  invisible.  And 
it  is  in  this  visible  body  that  the  Mediator  carries 
on  his  admmistration,  works  by  his  Spirit,  gives 


42  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

laws  and  orainances  for  the  present  and  exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promises  of  that  which  is 
to  come ;  and  through  this  body  carries  on  his  pur- 
poses of  mercy  toward  a  world  lying  in  wickedness. 
§9.  This  statement  concerning  the  actual  and 
visible  Church  as  the  development  of  the  ideal 
elect  body  of  the  covenant  of  redemption  is  by 
no  means  exclusive  of  all  other  aspects  of  the 
Church  in  the  gospel  scheme.  From  what  will 
be  shown  hereafter,  it  will  appear  that  the  visible 
Church  is  an  important,  if  not  a  necessary,  means 
of  revealing  to  men  the  whole  counsel  of  God; 
and  that,  for  aught  we  know,  such  is  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  human  mind  that  by  no  other  method 
could  have  been  communicated  to  human  intelli- 
gence that  peculiar  feature  of  the  purpose  of  God 
which  contemplates  the  redeemed  not  as  indi- 
viduals merely,  but  as  the  mediatorial  body  of  the 
Redeemer.  It  will  appear,  also,  that,  in  another 
view,  the  Church  is  an  indispensable  means  of  ac- 
complishing the  great  purpose  of  his  love  to  his 
chosen  people,  as  an  institute  for  the  calling, 
training,  and  edifying  the  elect.  What  is  intended 
in  the  foregoing  view  is  to  exhibit  the  external 
Church  in  time  as,  primarily  in  the  logical  order 
of  thought,  the  development  of  the  ideal  body  of 
the  covenant  of  redemption.  Contemplated  as  a 
part  of  the  process  of  manifesting  to  men  the 
purpose  of  God  to  gather  an  elect  people,  the 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE    GOSPEL.         43 

Church  is  a  means  through  which  God  makes 
known  his  counsel.  Contemplated  as  to  its  im- 
mediate end,  the  Church  is  a  divinely-appointed 
institute,  by  which  and  through  which  to  accom- 
plish his  purpose  in  the  calling  and  edification  of 
his  elect.  But  both  these  views,  however  import- 
ant and  essential,  are,  logically  speaking,  second- 
ary and  incidental  to  the  idea  of  the  Church 
actual  on  earth  as  the  development  of  the  Church 
ideal, — "the  pattern  in  the  heavens." 


44  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 


PART  II. 

THE  RELATION  OP  THE  IDEA  OF  THE  CHURCH  TO  THE 
MANIFESTATION  OF  THE  ETERNAL  PURPOSE  OF  GOD  AS 
RECORDED   IN   THE   SCRIPTURES. 

1 1.  The  foregoing  view  of  the  idea  of  the  Church  in  relation 
to  the  purpose  of  God  is  confirmed  by  the  revelation  of  that  pur- 
pose in  Scripture.  1 2.  In  the  first  place,  by  the  mode  of  making 
the  revelation  through  a  series  of  covenants.  ^  3.  Importance  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  covenants,  especially  in  constructing  a  true  ec- 
clesiology.  §  4.  Pre-eminence  given  in  Scripture  to  the  covenant 
with  Abraham.  ^  5.  The  Abrahamic  covenant  holds  forth  the 
Church  visible  as  not  only  a  development  of  the  ideal  body  of  the 
eternal  covenant,  but  also  as  an  institute  for  the  calling  and  re- 
demption of  the  elect,  by  way  of  means  for  the  accomplishment 
of  the  divine  purpose.  ^  6.  As  all  other  covenants,  so  this  gives 
prominence  to  the  principle  that  the  children  of  parties  to  the 
covenant  have  a  birthright  to  its  privileges.  ^  7.  This  argument 
assumes  the  spiritual  significancy  of  all  these  covenants  ;  the  con- 
trary supposition  is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  inspiration  of  Scrip- 
ture. I  8.  The  argument  cumulates  again  when  reference  is  made 
to  the  general  character  of  the  subject-matter  of  Scripture. 
^  9.  Is  still  further  confirmed  in  that  by  this  view  the  wonderful 
unity  of  Scripture  is  manifested.  §  10.  Still  further  in  that  it  ex- 
hibits most  clearly  the  unity  of  the  plan  of  salvation  as  held  forth 
in  all  ages.  §  11.  And  also  the  unity  of  the  faith  which  is  unto 
salvation  as  exercised  in  every  age  of  the  Church.  ^  12.  Still 
further  in  that,  with  this  view  as  a  key  to  their  interpretation,  the 
Scriptures  exhibit  the  Church  as  substantially  the  same  in  all  ages, 
and  under  the  same  administration  of  the  mediatorial  King. 
^  13.  And  also  the  Church  visible  in  every  age  as  under  the 
same  general  form  of  external  government, — viz.,  of  the  elders, 
{TTpeafivTEpoi.)    1 14.  It  is  a  further  confirmation  of  the  argument 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF   THE   GOSPEL.         45 

that,  in  conformity  with  all  the  foregoing  facts,  the  Scriptures 
represent  all  revelations,  covenants,  ordinances,  and  promises  of 
God  as  given  to  the  Church  as  such,  and  not  to  the  race  at  large 
as  such.  §15.  General  results  of  this  argument:  first,  the  ger- 
minal idea  of  the  Church  visible  is  the  elect  body  of  the  covenant 
of  redemption ;  second,  the  external  Church  is  a  necessary  result 
of  the  manifestation  in  time  of  God's  purpose ;  third,  the  mode  of 
the  revelation  of  the  purpose  is  in  precise  accordance  w^ith  the 
conception  of  the  relation  between  the  ideal  and  the  actual 
Church;  fourth,  the  visible  Church  is  essentially  the  same  in  all 
ages,  however  it  may  vary  in  degrees  of  light  and  purity  and 
in  ordinances  and  modes  of  worship ;  fifth,  the  proper  definition 
of  the  Church  as  a  complex  idea  must  not  only  enumerate  the 
elementary  ideas  thereof,  but  these  in  their  logical  order  of  ar- 
rangement also.  Variations  in  the  extent  of  meaning  in  which 
the  word  "Church''  is  taken.  §  16.  These  general  views  coincide 
with  the  definition  of  the  Church  as  an  article  of  Calvinistic 
theology,  in  the  25th  chapter  of  the  Westminster  Confession. 
§  17.  Necessity  of  the  previous  argument  touching  the  idea  of  the 
Church  as  preliminary  to  the  right  interpretation  of  what  the 
Scriptures  teach  concerning  the  government  and  ordinances  of 
worship  of  the  Church. 

§  1.  That  the  general  view  of  the  intimate  re- 
lation of  the  idea  of  the  Church  to  the  purpose 
of  redemption,  and  thus  to  theology  proper,  ex- 
hibited in  Part  I.  of  this  discourse,  is  no  mere 
theoretic  conjecture,  wiU  be  made  manifest  if  we 
now  proceed  further  to  an  examination  of  the 
question  in  how  far  this  general  view  of  the  sub- 
ject is  confirmed  by  the  Scripture  account  of  the 
mode  in  which  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  was 
manifested  in  time,  and  in  how  far  also  it  is  con- 
firmed by  the  specific  teaching  of  the  Scriptui^es 
concerning  the  outworking  of  the  plan  of  redemp- 


46  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

tion.  It  is  plain  that,  if  the  Scriptures  them- 
selves are  but  the  record  of  the  manifestation  of 
God's  eternal  purpose,  then  the  preceding  theory 
of  the  Church  may  easily  be  tested  by  a  compa- 
rison of  its  fundamental  points  with  the  Scrip- 
tures. If  the  theory  be  unsound,  nothing  but 
confusion  can  follow  from  the  attempt  to  inter- 
pret the  revelation  of  the  scheme  of  redemption 
by  it.  If,  on  the  contrary,  it  be  true,  then  it  will 
be  found  to  furnish  a  clue  by  which  the  great 
truths  of  Scripture  concerning  the  work  of  re- 
demption may  be  developed  from  the  record  in 
unity,  clearness  and  simplicity.  Accordingly,  it 
will  be  found  that  in  the  light  of  the  view  pre- 
sented in  Part  I.  the  Scriptures  exhibit  a  wonder- 
ful unity  of  idea,  and  singular  consistency  and 
harmony,  from  the  first  to  the  last  revelation.  It 
is  proposed  now  to  consider  the  relation  of  the 
idea  of  the  Church  to  the  Scriptures  in  a  general 
twofold  aspect:  first,  as  regards  the  mode  of  re- 
vealing the  divine  purpose,  and,  consequently,  the 
peculiar  structure  of  the  Scriptures ;  and  secondly, 
as  regards  the  subject-matter  of  Scripture  in  detail. 
§  2.  It  cannot  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of 
the  thoughtful  student,  on  the  first  opening,  of  the 
Bible,  that  there  is  something  remarkable  in  the 
mode  by  which  God  here  undertakes  to  communi- 
cate with  men,  from  which  flow  the  peculiarities 
of  form  and  structure  which  the  revelation  of 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         47 

God  assumes   in  tlie  Scriptures.     The  mode  of 
this  communication  is  through  successive  covenants,      I  ( 
each  one  a  larger  development  of  all   the   pre- 
ceding.    It  might  readily  be  shown  that  this  fact 
involves  of  necessity  the  idea  of  a  distinct  body 
of  people  with  wdiom,  as  contracting  parties  with 
God,  the  covenants  are  made.     It   is    sufacient, 
however,  here  to   observe  that  the  chief  pecu- 
liarity of  Holy  Scripture   in   its    structure,  and 
that  which  furnishes  the  grand  key  to  its  inter- 
pretation, is  this  fact, — that  the  contents  thereof, 
though  given  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  man- 
ners through  thousands  of  years,  may  all  be  re-  . 
ferred   to  three  categories.     1.  Covenants,  with 
the  accompanying  series  of  revelations  given  in 
connection  with   the   making  of  the    covenants. 
2.  Historic  providences,  to  prepare  the  way  for, 
and  furnish  the  human  mind  with  ideas  to  enable 
it  to  comprehend  the  significancy  of,  these  cove- 
nants and  their  accompanying  revelation; — or  per- 
haps better  expressed  as  laying  a  platform  in  the 
human  mind  on  which  to  construct  the  idea  of 
a  covenant-revelation.     3.  Historic  dealings  and 
inspirations  for  the  further  elucidation  and  ex- 
position of  these  covenants.     Thus  (to  illustrate 
this  general  statement)  the  historic  transactions 
connected  with  the  fall  of  man  are  preparatory 
and  essential  to  a  comprehension  by  man  of  the 
covenant  and  revelation  of  grace.     The  subse- 

4* 


48  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

quent  history  further  elucidates  this,  and  pre- 
pares the  necessary  groundwork  in  the  human 
mind  for  the  covenant  and  revelations  through 
Noah.  The  subsequent  events  again  illustrate 
this,  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  covenant  with 
Abraham  and  its  revelations  concerning  a  land 
of  promise  to  the  pilgrim,  and  a  seed  of  promise 
to  one  called  out  from  kindred  and  country. 
The  subsequent  events  illustrate — by  a  pro- 
gressive fulfilment  of  the  promise  —  and  prepare 
the  way  for  the  covenant  with  this  promised 
seed,  as  a  chosen  people,  through  Moses,  and  the 
fuller  revelation  of  Messiah  as  the  Deliverer  and 
Lawgiver  of  his  chosen  people.  Then,  the  sub- 
sequent events,  under  Providence,  again  develop 
this  covenant,  by  progressive  fulfilment,  till  the 
accomplishment  thereof,  as  to  the  land  of  promise, 
is  effected  under  David,  and  thus  prepare  the 
way  for  the  last  prophetic  covenant  and  revelation 
of  Messiah,  as  a  King  in  Zion,  to  rule  and  bless 
forever  his  people.  The  succeeding  providential 
history,  together  wdth  the  inspirations  in  the 
Psalms  and  the  Prophets,  are  all  in  elucidation 
of  this  covenant,  and,  as  the  full  and  final  expo- 
sition of  all  previous  dispensations  of  God  and  of 
all  previous  covenants  and  revelations,  become 
the  grand  preparation  for  the  last  and  highest 
covenant  of  the  New  Testament, — a  covenant 
mediated    by   the   Son   of   God    incarnate,   and 


AN   ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         49 

henceforth  to  be  ministered  by  the  Spirit  till  the 
second  coming  of  Christ. 

§  3.  Chiefly  from  a  disregard  of  this  peculiarity 
of  revelation;  and  of  the  covenants  as  the  key  to 
it  all,  have  arisen  the  confusion  and  errors  in 
theology  which  have  distracted  the  Church  in 
recent  times.  To  a  like  disregard  of  the  cove- 
nants, perhaps,  may  be  ascribed  much  of  the  con- 
fusion of  ideas  which  has  characterized  the  eccle- 
siology  of  recent  times  also.  For  in  the  very 
nature  of  these  covenants,  with  the  accompanying 
revelations  and  circumstances,  must  be  laid  the 
foundation  for  any  true  conception  of  the  Church 
as  an  external  visible  existence  on  earth.  Nay, 
the  idea  w^hich  underlies  all  these  covenants  alike 
is  of  a  separated  portion  of  the  race  entering  into 
contract  with  God.  Thus,  the  very  first  gospel 
promise  and  covenant  relates  to  two  seeds  of  the 
same  race,  between  whom  is  an  enmity,  not  natu- 
rally, but  supernaturally,  engendered.  "  I  will 
put  enmity,"  &c. :  thus  declaring  prophetically, 
anterior  to  the  existence  of  any  offspring,  the 
existence  of  a  great  line  of  separation  in  the 
human  family.  In  the  revelation  to  Noah  the 
line  is  actually  run  between  one  branch  and  the 
two  other  great  branches  arising  from  Noah. 
The  covenant  with  Abraham  is  specifically  with 
him,  as  representative  and  head  of  a  separate  so- 
ciety.   The  covenant  made  through  Moses  is  with 


50  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

this  society  itself,  now  actually  existing.  The  co- 
venant with  David  stipulates  for  a  King,  who  shall 
rule  over  this  peculiar  society  as  its  perpetual 
head.  And  when,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  the 
King  manifests  himself,  it  is  not  claiming  directly 
the  headship  of  the  world  at  large,  but  of  a  king- 
dom not  of  this  world.  His  mission  is  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  to  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  David.  Thus,  each  of  the  successive 
covenants  in  time,  manifesting  the  eternal  cove- 
nant, follows  the  pattern  in  the  heavens  in  hold- 
ing forth  this  separated  body  chosen  out  of  a 
fallen  race. 

§  4.  This  peculiarity  stands  forth  pre-eminently 
in  the  covenant  with  Abraham, — which  covenant 
itself  stands  forth  pre-eminent  in  Scripture.  For, 
instead  of  making  most  prominent  the  covenant 
with  Adam  and  Noah,  as  the  first  and  second 
natural  fathers  of  the  race,  the  Scriptures,  on  the 
contrary,  give  tenfold  prominence  to  Abraham 
and  the  covenant  with  Abraham  over  those  with 
Adam  and  Noah.  Now,  the  covenant  with  Abra- 
ham, while  implying,  indeed,  all  that  is  involved 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  is  specially  distinguished 
in  being  an  ecclesiological  covenant.  Its  provi- 
sions all  have  special  relation  to  a  chosen  people, 
as  an  organized  and  visible  body  on  earth,  through 
which  all  nations  shall  be  blessed.  And  from  this 
era  in  the  history  of  redemption  till  the  close  of 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         51 

that  history,  the  promise  of  Messiah,  the  Victor 
over  Satan,  takes  the  definite  form  of  the  De- 
liverer, Lawgiver,  and  Ruler  of  a  people;  and 
the  promise  of  a  chosen  seed,  at  enmity  with  the 
reprobate,  takes  the  definite  form  of  a  visible 
organic  body  of  men.  Thus,  midway  in  the 
great  progress  of  the  work  of  redemption,  be- 
tween the  first  promise  of  the  gospel  and  the 
glorious  fulfilment  thereof  in  the  Incarnation  of 
the  Son  of  God,  stands  out  this  peculiar  covenant, 
organizing  the  visible  body  of  believers,  as  visibly 
separate  and  apart  from  the  rest  of  mankind.  The 
Church,  as  to  its  component  elements,  existed,  in- 
deed, from  the  first,  and,  by  virtue  of  the  enmity 
put  between  the  chosen  and  the  reprobate  seeds, 
existed  necessarily  in  some  sense  apart;  but 
henceforth,  under  special  covenant,  they  are 
visibly  and  formally  set  apart  to  become  the 
special  people  of  Messiah,  among  whom  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  shall  have  its  administration. 

As  in  the  progress  of  creation  the  light  is  the 
grand  result  of  the  first  day,  yet  midway  be- 
tween the  beginning  and  the  end  stands,  as 
the  great  work  of  the  fourth  day,  the  sun,  the 
gathered  light,  concentrated  and  organize(>  under 
a  law  of  nature  for  the  permanent  illumination 
of  the  earth,  so,  whilst  the  elements  of  the 
Church  began  with  the  call  of  the  first  sinner, 
midway  in  the  progress  of  the  work  of  redemp- 


52  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

tion  stands  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  organ- 
izing the  elements  into  a  visible  Church  of  God, 
henceforth,  under  the  law  of  its  being,  constituted 
the  agent  for  the  diffusion  of  the  divine  light  to 
the  world.  All  subsequent  covenants  are  but 
the  confirmation  and  further  elucidation  of  this. 
Hence  we  may  readily  understand  the  promi- 
nence given  to  it  in  the  subsequent  record  of 
God's  revelations.  Of  these,  however,  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  speak  more  fully  hereafter. 

§  5.  It  is  a  marked  peculiarity  of  the  Abrahamic 
covenant  that  it  brings  into  view  the  Church  visi- 
ble, not  simply  as  the  external  manifestation  and 
development  of  the  ideal  mediatorial  body  of  the 
Redeemer  in  the  eternal  covenant,  but  at  the 
same  time,  also,  as  an  actual  institute  for  the 
calling  and  training  of  the  elect  people  of  God. 
From  this  time  forward,  through  the  entire  reve- 
lation, the  visible  Church  is  exhibited  as  a  body 
externally  called  to  the  privilege  of  receiving  the 
oracles  of  God,  and  of  being  specially  under  the 
charge  of  Jehovah  as  his  peculiar  nation,  the 
special  beneficiary  of  his  promises,  and  enjoying 
the  special  agency  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  no 
longer  limited  in  extent  of  numbers  to  the  true 
xXriroi, — the  called  internally  by  the  Spirit  ac- 
cording to  the  eternal  purpose, — but  also  to  the 
called  [;cX97rot]  who  are  externally  called  by  the 
word  only.    It  is  Jehovah's  vineyard,  well  fenced, 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.  53 

indeed,  but  oftentimes  having  vines  therein  that 
bring  forth  wild  grapes.  It  is  Jehovah's  garden, 
well  cared-for  and  well  tilled,  but  in  which  many 
of  the  fig-trees  may  be  barren.  It  is  the  wheat- 
field,  which  the  husbandman  has  carefully  sown, 
yet  in  which  tares  grow  up  with  the  wheat.  It 
is  the  great  net,  as  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of 
Jehovah  for  gathering  his  chosen  ones  out  of  the 
great  deeps  of  a  world  of  sin ;  but  the  very  ope- 
ration by  which  he  gathers  the  good  must,  in  the 
nature  of  the  case,  gather  the  bad  with  them 
also.  It  is  a  heap  of  choice  wheat  in  his  thresh- 
ing-floor, from  which  the  chaff  is  yet  to  be  win- 
nowed. It  is  a  rich  vineyard,  leased  out  for  a 
time  to  husbandmen  who  may  be  wicked  enough 
to  beat  away  the  owner's  servants, — yea,  even  to 
slay  his  son  and  heir.  It  is,  in  short,  a  body 
called  out  of  the  world,  yet  in  which  are  many 
called  more  than  are  chosen. 

§  6.  It  may  be  proper  to  observe,  in  this  con- 
nection, that  one  feature  which  is  common  to  all 
the  covenants  pertaining  to  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion stands  out  with  special  prominence  in  the 
great  Church-covenant  with  Abraham.  Whilst 
everywhere  in  Scripture  special  pains  is  taken 
to  guard  against  the  error  that  the  blessings  of 
salvation,  according  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  have 
any  respect  to  natural  descent,  and  to  declare  that 
the  true  elect  are  born  not  of  blood  nor  of  the 


54  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

will  of  man,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  special  pro- 
minence is  given  to  the  principle  that,  as  concern- 
ing the  outworking  in  time  of  the  scheme  of 
redemption,  the  children  of  those  who  are  them- 
selves parties  to  the  covenant  have  a  birthright 
to  the  privileges  or  the  penalties  of  the  covenant. 
Thus,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  works  with 
Adam,  every  child  born  of  Adam  is  born  to  die. 
By  virtue  of  the  covenant  with  Christ  as  the 
second  Adam,  every  mortal  that  dies  must  rise 
again  from  the  dead.  By  virtue  of  the  covenant 
with  Noah  not  to  destroy  again  with  a  flood, 
every  child  born  of  Noah,  as  the  second  father  of 
the  race,  has,  as  a  birthright,  the  guarantee  of 
God  against  another  flood.  By  reason  of  the  co- 
venant with  David,  his  male  offspring  in  every 
generation  had,  as  a  birthright,  a  claim  to  the 
throne: — a  claim  to  which  their  unfaithfulness 
should  be  no  bar,  for  though  eleven  of  them  in 
the  line  of  succession  proved  utterly  unworthy, 
yet  Jehovah  would  not  reject  them  as  he  rejected 
Saul,  simply  for  David  their  father's  sake,  and  the 
oath  which  he  sAvare  to  David.  Now,  this  prin- 
ciple stands  forth  with  special  distinctness  in  the 
great  Church-covenant  with  Abraham.  His  chil- 
dren in  successive  generations  are  not  only  re- 
cognised as  having  a  birthright  in  its  peculiar 
privileges,  but  as  born  members  of  the  great 
visible    community   which   this    covenant,   as   a 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OP   THE   GOSPEL.         65 

charter,  founds  and  organizes,  they  are  required 
to  be  made  formally  parties  thereto  by  affixing, 
through  their  parents,  their  seal  to  the  covenant. 
And  so  intimate  a  part  of  the  structure  is  this 
principle,  that,  no  matter  what  extent  of  signifi- 
cancy  be  given  to  the  covenant  itself,  or  what  the 
degree  of  its  development  in  subsequent  eras  of 
God's  revelation,  this  feature  holds  precisely  the 
same  relative  position  in  the  covenant;  nor  can  it 
be  eifaced  from  it  without  destroying  the  struc- 
ture of  the  covenant  itself. 

§  7.  It  is  assumed,  in  all  the  foregoing  views 
of  the  covenant,  that  they  are  interpreted  through- 
out as  having  primarily  a  spiritual,  and  secondarily 
and  incidentally  only,  any  mere  temporary  and 
natural  significancy.  This  assumption  has  been 
proceeded  upon,  first,  to  avoid  digression,  and, 
secondly,  because  the  contrary  supposition  must 
practically  make  void  the  whole  record  of  the 
covenants  as  having  any  significancy  in  the  plan 
of  salvation, — nay,  in  fact,  make  void  also  the  re- 
cord itself  as  any  part  of  the  word  of  God. 
Once  a  spiritual  significancy  is  given  to  the  pro- 
mise enfolded  in  the  Eden  curse,  then,  by  the 
same  principle  of  interpretation,  all  follows  as 
true  which  has  now  been  assumed  concerning  the 
other  covenants.  On  the  contrary,  if  the  Eden 
curse  is  simply  a  prophetic  declaration  of  the  an- 
tipathy of  the  human  race  to  serpents,  the  account 


56  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

is  unworthy  the  place  it  holds  in  the  word  of  God. 
If  the  promise  to  Abraham  w^as  only  of  a  natural 
seed  as  such,  and  a  physical  nation  to  inherit  a 
physical  Canaan  merely,  then  the  promise,  as  im- 
plying any  high  distinction  of  Abraham  over  other 
kingdom-founders,  was  never  fulfilled ;  for  many 
other  kingdom-founders  were  greater  than  he.  If 
the  covenant  and  institutions  given  through  Moses 
were  primarily  civil  and  only  secondarily  ecclesi- 
astical, estabhshing  merely  a  model  civil  govern- 
ment and  nation,  then  it  proved  a  signal  failure 
for  the  four  hundred  years  of  anarchy  immediately 
following  its  establishment.  If  the  covenant  with 
David  promised  only  a  natural  succession  to  a 
national  throne  and  temporal  glories,  then  the 
history  records  an  utter  failure  of  the  promise, 
seeing  that  under  the  immediate  successor  of 
David  the  seeds  of  ruin  to  the  civil  empire  were 
sown,  and  under  the  very  next  in  succession  the 
empire  was  in  effect  dissolved.  It  is  needless  to 
diverge  here  from  the  argument  to  show,  more- 
over, that  on  any  other  interpretation  these  cove- 
nants were  unworthy  the  great  Jehovah  and  de- 
grading to  his  Word.  If,  however,  the  true  sig- 
nificance of  the  covenants  be  that  assumed  here, 
then  it  is  manifest  that  the  Church  of  God,  as  a 
distinct,  visible,  actual  power  on  earth,  forms 
one  of  the  two  great  ideas  of  the  covenants  from 
first  to  last. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         57 

§  8.  When  we  turn  now  from  these  more  gene- 
ral views,  gathered  from  the  mode  of  manifestmg 
the  Divine  purpose,  and  the  consequent  peculiar 
structure  of  revelation,  to  the  subject-matter  of  the 
Scriptures  in  detail,  the  argument  culminates  by 
reason  of  the  fact  that  the  same  idea  of  a  cove- 
nant-peoi)le  pervades  all.  As  a  general  statement, 
it  may  be  said  that  so  far  as  the  Scriptures  are 
historic  they  are  the  history  of  the  Church,  even 
of  that  particular  portion  of  mankind  which  has 
been  selected  out  of  the  race  at  large  and  organ- 
ized as  a  body  under  the  Mediator.  In  so  far  as 
the  Scriptures  are  prophetic,  it  is  to  foretell  the 
destiny  of  this  community  under  the  administra- 
tion of  its  Founder  and  Eling.  The  key-note  to 
which  the  harp  of  prophecy  attunes  every  other 
strain  is,  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever; 
a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  scejjtre  of  thy 
hingdomr  In  so  far  as  they  are  a  theology,  it  is 
the  revelation  of  a  God-man  Mediator,  adminis- 
tering by  his  Providence  all  things  with  refer- 
ence to  a  Church  which  he  hath  purchased  with 
his  own  blood.  In  so  far  as  the  Scripture  is  a 
gospel,  strictly  so  called,  it  is  the  annunciation 
of  a  kingdom  of  heaven  at  hand.  For  this  is  the 
grand  conception  with  which  the  series  of  Old 
Testament  gospel-revelations  had  its  final  culmi- 
nation. With  this  the  New  Testament  gospel 
opens,  crying,  "The   kingdom   of  heaven  is   at 


58  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

hand."  This  was  the  grand  subject  of  the  preach- 
ing of  Jesus  himself  during  his  personal  ministry. 
This  was  the  charge  on  which  he  was  condemned, 
and  the  truth  for  which,  in  so  far  as  his  death 
was  a  martyrdom,  he  died.  And,  finally,  the 
truth  which,  as  his  distinguishing  heresy,  his 
enemies  w^ould  sarcastically  hurl  contempt  upon 
by  placarding  it  upon  his  cross,  was,  "  This  is  the 
King  of  the  JeiusT  And  so,  too,  the  gospel  of 
his  triumph,  after  his  resurrection  and  ascension, 
is,  "  Him  hath  God  exalted  to  be  a  Pi^ince  and  a 
Saviour;"  and  the  last  gospel  vision  of  Him  is  as 
the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne.  Now,  the 
great  correlative  truth  to  Messiah  as  a  King  is 
that  of  his  people  as  a  kingdom,  an  organic  body. 
And  from  these  two  facts  arises  that  wonderful 
unity  of  idea  which  j^ervades  a  Book  whose 
several  parts  belong  to  different  ages,  different 
civilizations,  and  different  eras  of  an  ever-pro- 
gressive revelation  extending  through  thousands 
of  years.  It  is  the  history  of  the  administration 
of  one  king — Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day,  and  forever — over  one  community,  having 
essentially  one  Lord,  one  fliith,  one  baptism, 
throughout  this  whole  series  of  ages. 

§  9.  However  the  Bible,  as  a  book  of  theology 
in  general,  may  lack  sydem  in  the  logical  sense  of 
the  schools,  a  diUgent  study  of  its  subject-matter 
will  evince  that  it  is  none  the  less  remarkable  for 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         69 

its  rigid  method  throughout.  Men  construct  in- 
tellectually by  system,  as  they  build  their  houses 
and  other  structures  of  art.  They  lay  truth  by 
measurement  upon  truth,  and  chapter  upon  chap- 
ter, and  all  incomplete  till  the  last  beam  is  laid 
and  the  whole  structure  jointed  together  into  one. 
God  constructs  his  revelations  as  he  constructs  the 
oak  of  the  forest  or  the  cedar  of  Lebanon, — by  a 
continual  development  from  a  germ  which  is  per- 
fect from  the  first,  and  a  perfect  tree  in  every 
stage  of  its  growth.  As  the  oak  is  in  the  acorn, 
so  the  whole  gospel  of  God  is  in  the  first  germinal 
promise  imbedded  in  the  very  curse  of  Eden.  It 
springs  forth  and  develops  ever  in  larger  and 
clearer  proportions,  through  each  successive  reve- 
lation, from  the  Paradise  of  Adam  to  the  Paradise 
revealed  anew  in  the  visions  of  the  Apocalypse. 
So,  too,  with  the  development  of  the  Church  of 
God  as  an  element  of  the  first  gospel-promise: 
each,  successive  covenant  enunciates  more  and 
more  clearly  and  largely  the  same  one  idea 
through  the  entire  Old  Testament  to  the  fully-re- 
vealed Kingship  of  Messiah :  and,  so  far  from  being 
something  distinct  from  the  Old  Testament,  the 
New  Testament  glories  ever  in  being  the  grand 
fulfilment  of  all  things  spoken  in  the  Prophets  and 
in  the  Psalms  concerning  Christ.  The  very  first 
voice  from  Heaven  which  breaks  the  long  silence 
of  four  hundred  years  of  suspended  revelation  is 

6* 


60  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD 

the  annunciation  of  Gabriel  to  his  mother — even 
before  the  angels  heralded  his  birth  —  of  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  the  Highest,  as  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  coA^enant  with  David;*  and  his 
mother,  under  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  sang  of 
his  coming  to  fulfil  the  covenant  with  Abraham 
and  his  seed."}-  And  in  like  manner,  at  the  open- 
ing of  our  present  dispensation  of  the  last  times 
under  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  the  Apos- 
tles,J  so  far  from  claiming  for  themselves  or  their 
crucified  Master  the  honour  of  now  originating  a 
new  scheme  of  salvation  and  a  new  Church,  ra- 
ther (with  elaborate  care  on  all  occasions)  aimed 
to  prove  that  both  the  doctrine  and  the  Church 
now  manifested  to  the  world  had  their  origin  first 
in  the  determinate  counsel  of  God;  had  been  first 
manifested  in  a  visible  Church  and  a  covenant  in 
ages  of  old,  and  developed  more  and  more  clearly 
by  successive  covenants  and  prophetic  revelations 
afterwards ;  and  that  they  acted  as  the  agents  of 
Jesus,  their  Master,  who,  in  fulfilment  of  the  pro-* 
visions  of  all  ancient  covenants,  was  now  reform- 
ing the  Church  of  God,  with  a  view  to  carry  it 
forward  to  an  infinitely-higher  glory. 

Such  is  uniformly  the  method  of  the  apostolic 
argument.  They  ever  look  both  backward  and 
forward  from  the  stand-point  of  the  dispensation 

*  Luke  i.  32.         f  Luke  i.  55.         J  Acts  ii.,  iii.;  iv. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         61 

given  through  them.  As  after  the  method  of 
those  immense  triangulations  of  the  modern  trigo- 
nometrical surveys  which,  from  some  known  base- 
line measured  upon  the  plain,  take  observations 
forward  and  backward  of  the  prominent  mountain- 
tops  at  immense  distances,  from  which,  again, 
other  observations  are  extended,  till  the  mea- 
suring-line of  their  science  is  laid,  encompassing 
half  the  globe,  and  determining  with  marvellous 
accuracy,  even  to  a  single  inch,  the  distance : — so 
these  inspired  apostles,  assuming  as  the  ground- 
work of  their  argument  that  which  they  now  see 
and  hear  under  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  from 
this  direct  their  vision  back  to  the  prominent 
facts  in  the  past  dispensations  of  God  and  onward 
to  the  prominent  heights  of  the  prophetic  views 
of  the  dispensations  yet  to  come ;  and  from  these 
in  turn  they  determine  new  points  of  the  argu- 
ment. With  a  logic  at  once  sublime  in  its  reach 
and  infinite  in  its  comprehension,  they  determine 
the  measure,  the  proportions,  and  the  relations 
of  that  transcendent  problem  of  man's  salvation 
which  has  its  primary  elements  in  the  depths  of 
eternity  past  and  its  conclusion  in  the  depths  of 
eternity  to  come. 

§  10.  In  exact  accordance  with  this,  again,  is 
the  remarkable  unity  of  form,  even,  in  which  the 
doctrine  of  salvation  is  presented  from  the  first 
to  the  last  revelation.     In  the  story  of  Abel  the 


62  THE   CHURCH   Of   GOD 

method  of  salvation  through  an  atoning  Saviour 
is  held  forth  in  his  sacrificial  lamb.  In  the  story 
of  Abraham,  two  thousand  years  later,  it  is  held 
forth  in  the  call  for  the  lamb  of  the  father's  own 
bosom.  In  Moses,  four  hundred  years  later,  it  is 
stiU  the  lamb  whose  blood  is  sprinkled  and  the 
lamb  which  figures  throughout  the  gorgeous  sacri- 
ficial ritual  of  the  tabernacle.  In  the  visions  of 
Isaiah,  seven  hundred  years  later,  it  is  the  lamb 
led  to  the  slaughter.  Again  seven  hundred  years, 
and  John  Baptist  announces  the  opening  of  the 
new  dispensation  with  the  cry,  '^  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God!"  And  in  the  final  close  of  revelation,  as 
John  the  Evangelist  catches  a  glimpse,  through 
the  door  opened  in  the  heaven,  of  the  glorious 
Church  of  the  future,  it  has  still  for  its  central 
attraction  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
around  whom  are  gathered  the  shouting  myriads 
who  have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

§  11.  And  as  the  objective  theology  of  the 
Church's  creed,  so  the  exercise  of  the  faith  that 
is  unto  salvation,  is  essentially  the  same  in  all 
ages  and  expresses  itself  in  even  the  very  same 
forms.  The  blood  of  the  Lamb  sprinkled  is  ever 
the  reliance ;  for  from  first  to  last  the  promise 
is,  "When  I  see  the  blood  I  will  pass  over.'* 
"The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit." 
ThiS;  from  first  to  last,  is  the  condition  of  accept- 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         63 

ance  with  God.  And  hence  the  subjective  state 
of  the  soul,  which  warrants  a  trust  in  the  benefits 
of  the  blood  of  atonement,  is  described  by  the 
very  same  figures  under  every  dispensation.  In 
the  era  of  David  its  true  utterance  was,  "My 
soul  longeth,  yea,  thirsteth,  for  God."  In  the 
preaching  of  Isaiah,  the  gospel-offer  is  to  every 
one  that  thirsteth.  As  proclaimed  by  the  Son  of 
God  incarnate,  seven  hundred  years  later,  it  is 
still,  "If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and 
drink."  As  proclaimed  through  his  apostle  at  the 
close  of  all  revelation  in  the  very  last  message 
sent  back  to  sinners  from  the  throne  of  power  to 
which  he  had  ascended,  it  is  still,  "Let  him  that 
is  athirst  come;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
of  the  waters  of  life  freely."  Thus  the  unity  of 
the  gospel  proclaimed  and  believed  by  the  Church 
is  perfect  throughout  all  ages. 

§  12.  And  as  with  the  theology  of  the  Church, 
both  objective  and  subjective,  so  with  the  admi- 
nistration of  the  Church.  It  is  one  and  the  same 
power  which  rules  and  guides  through  all  ages 
alike.  In  the  theophanies  of  the  first  period  of 
the  revelations  of  God,  it  is  Jesus  Messiah  who 
assumes  transient  visible  form  and  converses  with 
men.  In  the  theocratic  era  it  is  still  Jesus  Mes- 
siah who  sits  invisible  upon  the  visible  throne, 
between  the  cherubim,  to  rule  and  counsel  his 
Church.     In  the  inspirations  of  the  theopneustio 


64  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

era  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  prophets  that 
"doth  testify  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the 
glory  that  shall  follow."  And  after  the  Word 
made  flesh  has  ascended  to  the  throne  of  his 
glory,  it  is  still  he  who,  in  the  exercise  of  all 
power  given  to  him,  commissions  his  agents  to  go 
forth,  and  who  sends  the  Comforter  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  salvation.  And  it  is  worthy  of  spe- 
cial note,  as  bearing  on  this  argument,  that,  so 
far  from  occupying  a  secondary  place,  as  in  our 
modern  theology,  the  office  of  Christ  as  King  is 
in  Scripture  more  prominently  held  forth  than 
either  his  office  of  Prophet  or  Priest.  In  the 
series  of  progressive  revelations  prophetic  of 
Messiah  to  come,  the  doctrine  of  Messiah  as  a 
King  constitutes  the  last  and  highest  develop- 
ment of  the  Mediatorship,  and  forms  the  chief 
burden  of  the  prophets  of  the  theopneustic  era. 
In  the  New  Testament  revelation  his  kingly  office 
forms  the  grand  subject  of  its  opening;  and  in  its 
closing  exjiositions  of  the  entire  scheme  of  re- 
demption, now  fully  and  completely  manifested  to 
men,  Jesus  Christ  is  exhibited  as  the  Prophet 
w^ho  reveals  all  and  the  Priest  who  redeems  all 
in  order  to  his  being  a  King  ruling  over  all. 
The  governmental  aspect  of  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, as  revealed  in  Scripture,  has  a  prominence 
which  fully  justifies  the  zeal  of  the  Scotch  mar- 
tyrs who  testified  to  the  death  for  Christ's  Crown 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         65 

and  Covenant.  For  the  doctrine  of  Christ  as  a 
King,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  his  king- 
dom, are  correlative  and  coextensive  in  the  plan 
of  salvation. 

§  13.  And  what  is  especially  worthy  of  note, 
again,  in  this  argument  is  the  unity  of  form  in 
the  governmental  power  of  the  external  Church 
under  all  these  dispensations.  While  yet  the  two 
divine  governmental  institutions — the  Church  and 
the  State — remained  embosomed  in  the  still  ear- 
lier divine  institution  of  the  family,  the  power  of 
rule  delegated  by  the  Great  King  to  men  was  ex- 
ercised by  the  patriarchs,  or  natural  elders  of  the 
community.  So  soon  as,  under  the  covenant  with 
Abraham  chartering  a  distinct  community  of  the 
chosen,  such  a  community  actually  existed,  as 
the  shortening  of  human  life  no  longer  permitted 
a  patriarchal  rule,  the  elders,  as  the  successors  of 
the  patriarchs,  are  found  intrusted  with  the  go- 
vernment of  the  Church  visible.  Before  the  na- 
tional organization  under  Moses  there  were  elders 
in  charge  of  the  covenant-people ;  and  to  them 
must  Moses  exhibit  the  seals  of  his  commission 
as  the  authorized  agent  of  the  God  of  Abraham 
and  of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob,  come  to  execute  the 
stipulations  of  the  ancient  covenant.*  Through 
the  elders  was  given  to  the  Church  the  ordinance 

*Ex.iii.l5,  16;  iv.  29-31. 


66  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

of  the  passover.*  Before  them,  as  representatives 
of  the  Church,  was  the  typical  rock  smitten.f  To 
the  Church,  through  her  elders,  after  solemn  pre- 
paration, were  the  revelations  of  Sinai  made,  and 
these  in  form  of  a  solemn  covenant  between  Jeho- 
vah and  his  people. J  The  elders  partook  with 
Moses  of  the  solemn  sacrificial  feast  in  the 
Mount,  as  preparatory  to  the  reception  of  the 
ecclesiastical  and  ritual  constitution  from  Jeho- 
vah. §  The  elders,  with  the  priests,  constituted 
the  supreme  ecclesiastical  tribunal  to  which  all 
appeals  should  come.||  Even  in  Israel  under  the 
apostasy  the  form  of  government  was  not  lost 
sight  of,  but  the  elders  sat  with  Elisha.^  So,  too, 
even  after  the  fall  of  the  nation  as  such,  the 
elders  met  with  God's  prophet  on  the  river 
Chebar.**  And  in  the  wasted  and  corrupt  Jerusa- 
lem the  form  of  Jehovah's  appointed  court  of  the 
Church  survived  all  regard  and  fear  of  Jehovah, 
and  a  corrupt  court  of  the  priests  and  elders  con- 
demned to  death  his  prophet  Jeremiah  for  speak- 
ing the  warnings  of  Jehovah.*j~j*  When  Messiah 
came  to  his  own  and  his  own  received  him  not, 
the  regard  for  the  divinely-appointed  form  of  ec- 
clesiastical government  is  found  still  surviving, 
though  men  made  void  the  divine  law  through 

^  Ex.  xii.  3,  21.         t  Ex.  xvii.  5,  6.  J  Ex.xix.7,  8;  xxiv.7,  8. 

§  Ex.  xxiv.  9, 11.        II  Deut.  xvii.  9-12.    ^  2  Kings  vi.  32. 
**  Ezek.  viii.  1.  ft  Jer.  xxvi.  8,  17. 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF  THE   GOSPEL.         67 

their  traditions.  Priests  and  elders  formed  the 
council  that  condemned  the  Son  of  Grod.  The 
elders,  under  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  still 
occupy  their  position  towards  the  Church,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  take  oversight,  as 
in  the  Church  of  old.  And  again,  in  the  pro- 
phetic vision  of  the  glorious  Church  of  the  fu- 
ture, John  saw  the  great  congregation,  still  in 
eternity,  as  in  time,  represented  by  four  and 
twenty  elders, — twelve  for  the  ancient  and  twelve 
for  the  new  dispensation, — but  one  body,  uniting 
together  in  casting  their  crowns,  the  symbol  of 
their  official  authority,  at  the  feet  of  Him  whom 
they  unite  to  acknowledge  as  Head  and  Source 
of  all  authority  in  the  Church  in  all  ages. 

§  14.  One  other  observation  completes  this 
view, — to  wit:  That  every  revelation  ever  com- 
municated, every  ordinance  appointed,  every  pro- 
mise and  covenant  made  of  God,  has  been,  not 
to  and  with  men  as  men,  or  as  constituting  na- 
tions, but  to  and  with  the  Church,  as  such, — a 
body  organized  or  contemplated  as  the  elements 
of  an  organization.  In  the  widest  sense,  to  the 
ancient  Church  were  committed  the  Oracles  of 
God.  The  successive  revelations  come  not  from 
God  as  Creator  to  men  as  creatures,  but  from 
Messiah  as  Prophet  and  King  over  his  Church 
to  his  own  peculiar  people.  The  revelations  of 
Sinai  are  expressly  declared  to  have  been  made 

6 


THE  CmmCH  OF  GOD 

to  the  covenant-people;  and  when  Moses  wrote 
the  words  of  the  Lord  in  the  book,  they  were  for- 
mally ratified  as  the  covenant  between  God  and 
the  Church.  After  Moses,  all  additional  records 
of  inspiration  are  given  to  the  Church  as  the 
depository  of  the  Oracles  of  God.  Here,  as  in  all 
other  points,  Rome  does  not  invent  pure  false- 
hood, but  only  counterfeits  the  truth.  The 
j  Church  is  in  truth  anterior  to  the  Scriptures, 
the  receiver  of  the  Scripture,  the  guardian  of  the 
Scripture.  Home  adroitly  perverts  all  this  to 
mean  that  the  Church  is  superior  to  Scripture,  the 
maker  of  Scripture,  the  infallible  interpreter  of 
Scripture.  Less  monstrous  indeed,  but  not  less 
deceptive,  is  the  Rationalistic  assumption  that  the 
idea  of  the  Church  is  something  extraneous  to 
the  Scripture, — having  no  other  relation  than  that 
of  an  expedient  or  even  a  necessity  superinduced 
upon  the  Scripture,  simply  by  the  outworking  of 
a  system  of  revelation  made  to  the  world  of  men 
at  large,  and  when  received  by  any  portion  thereof, 
attracting  them  together  to  constitute  a  School  of 
Religious  Philosophy. 

§  15.  From  the  foregoing  views  of  the  relation 
of  the  idea  of  the  Church,  first  to  the  plan  of  Re- 
demption in  the  Purpose  of  God,  and  secondly  to 
the  record  of  the  manifestation  of  the  Purpose  of 
God  in  time,  we  derive  these  general  observations 
concerning  the  idea  and  nature  of  the  Church. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         69 

1.  The  primary  and  germinal  idea  of  the  Church 
of  God  is  of  that  elect  body  of  men  which  was 
contemplated  in  the  covenant  of  Redemption  as 
constituting  a  mediatorial  body,  of  which  Messiah 
is  the  Head,  and  for  the  sake  of  which  he  under- 
took the  work  of  riedemption. 

2.  It  being  an  essential  feature  of  the  Plan  of 
Redemption  that  the  purpose  of  God  have  its 
manifestation  through  successive  ages  of  time,  and 
its  accomplishment  through  external  instrumen- 
talities, even  the  call  {xT^r.aig)  of  the  word,  pro- 
viding the  instrumentality  through  which  shall  be 
made  the  call  {xXr.aig)  of  the  Spirit, — together 
with  the  other  external  ordinances  for  the  edify- 
ing and  training  of  an  elect  people  in  external 
covenant-relation  to  the  Mediator, — the  very  out- 
working of  the  purpose  of  God  in  time  brings 
into  existence  an  actual  external  (sxxXyjaia), — a 
called  out  and  separated  body  of  men,  correspond- 
ing to  the  ideal  of  God's  Purpose. 

3.  In  accordance  with  this  relation  between  the 
ideal  and  the  actual,  the  Purpose  of  God  is  re- 
vealed by  means  of  covenants,  as  between  the 
Mediator  and  a  separated  portion  of  the  race;  and 
in  particular  one  covenant,  as  a  charter,  specially 
and  formally  organizing  into  a  community  the 
portion  of  the  race  to  which  the  Mediator  shall 
specially  reveal  himself  and  give  the  oracles  and 
ordinances   through  which  he  will   execute  his 


70  THE   CHURCH  OF   GOD 

mission  to  the  race  at  large,  over  whicli  he  shall 
exercise  spiritual  authority  as  its  Founder,  Law- 
giver, and  Head ;  and  in  which  he  will  set  officers 
to  teach  and  rule,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as  his 
Vicar  carry  on  the  work  of  recreating  his  people. 
4.  This  body  visible  on  earth  is  perpetual  and 
identical  through  all  ages.  It  may  vary  in  its 
degrees  of  purity,  down  to  utter  apostasy ;  it  may 
have  its  seat  exclusively  in  one  nation  and  run  in 
the  line  of  natural  descent,  or  it  may  have  its 
seat  alike  in  all  nations  and  treat  as  one  blood  all 
kindreds  of  men;  it  may  be  now  conspicuous  be- 
fore the  world,  or  now  humble  and  comparatively 
hidden;  it  may  vary  as  to  the  degree  of  Divine 
knowledge  current  in  it,  having  now  only  a  par- 
tial and  no^w  a  fully-completed  revelation  as  its 
rule,  and  of  course,  therefore,  may  vary  as  to  the 
form  of  its  ordinances  and  instrumentalities  for 
teaching  Divine  truth: — but,  withal,  it  is  essen- 
tially the  same  body  of  people,  organized  for  the 
same  purposes,  administered  in  by  the  same  Head 
and  Ruler,  and,  under  him,  ministered  to  by  the 
same  sort  of  ministering  servants,  having  the  same 
sort  of  duties  to  discharge,  for  the  attainment  of 
the  same  great  ends.  And  in  this  fact,  doubtless, 
is  the  true  solution  of  the  comparative  silence  of 
Scripture  history  touching  Church  government. 
There  being  no  organic  changes  from  the  first  in- 
stitution of  this  government,  there  is  no  call  for 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         71 

any  special  reference  to  that  subject  in  the  history. 
The  events  which  constitute  the  true  life  and 
glory  of  a  nation — the  natural  and  healthy  develop- 
ment of  its  organic  laws — are  not  those  which 
find  a  place  in  history,  but  rather  the  events  which 
destroy  and  disorganize.  Hence  the  saying  of 
men,  "Blessed  the  nation  whose  annals  are  tire- 
some." But  the  Divine  history  records  no  tire- 
some annals  merely  to  fill  out  in  rhetorical  pro- 
portion the  history  of  a  given  space  of  time.  In 
this  history  Silence  takes  the  place  of  the  tiresome 
annals  of  other  history.  Hence  the  silence  con- 
cerning the  external  constitution  of  the  kingdom 
whose  history  it  records  is  simply  expressive  of 
the  continued  sameness  of  external  government 
through  all  its  progressive'  development. 

5.  The  idea  of  the  Church  being  thus  a  com- 
plex idea,  the  proper  definition  of  the  Church 
must  not  only  enumerate  the  essential  elementary 
ideas  that  enter  into  the  complex  whole,  but  also 
make  such  an  enumeration  as  shall  arrange  in 
logical  order  these  several  elements  according  to 
their  relative  position  and  prominence  each  to  the 
other.  From  the  foregoing  views,  the  definition 
of  the  Church — ^as  simply  a  fact  of  revealea 
theology — should  describe  it  as  that  body  of  men, 
taken  as  a  whole  or  any  part  thereof,  which,  ac- 
cording to  God's  Eternal  Purpose  to  call  out  and 
organize  a  part  of  mankind  into  a  Kingdom,  is 

6^ 


72  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD 

called  successively  in  time  by  his  word  and  Spirit 
to  a  confession  of  Christ,  an  engagement  to  his 
covenant,  and  subjection  to  the  laws  of  his 
Kingdom.  This  general  description,  however, 
while  comprehending  all  the  elementary  ideas, 
must  have  certain  modifications,  according  as  one 
or  another  aspect  of  the  Church  is  prominent  in 
the  mind.  But  these  modifications  can  only 
change  the  relative  prominence  of  the  several 
elements  one  to  the  other,  neither  adding  any 
element,  nor  taking  any  away.  Thus,  in  defining 
the  Church  as  actual  and  visible,  the  constituent 
elements  of  the  Church  are  persons  not  only  as 
individuals  but  also  as  representing  families,  ac- 
cording to  the  general  principles  of  all  the  cove- 
nants of  God.  So  in'  defining  the  Church  in 
greater  or  less  extent  by  corresponding  modifica- 
tions, according  as  the  mind  has  prominent  before 
it  the  whole  or  the  part,  the  definition  embraces, 
according  to  Scripture  usage,  any  variety  of  ex- 
tent. As  it  is  gravitation — involving  the  same 
general  idea — whether  as  embodied  in  the  pheno- 
menon of  the  apple  falling  from  the  tree  in  the 
sight  of  the  philosopher,  or  in  that  of  the  earth 
retained  in  its  orbit;  so,  by  reason  of  its  con- 
nection with  the  great  ideal,  it  is  the  Church  of 
God,  whether  it  be  the  Society  in  the  house  of 
Priscilla,  the  Church  of  the  Saints  at  PhiHppi, 
the  Church  of  many  congregations  and  languages 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         73 

at  Jerusalem  or  Antic  ch,  tlie  Church  at  large 
which  suffered  persecution,  the  General  Assembly 
and  Church  of  the  First-born  whose  names  are 
written  in  heaven,  or  the  ideal  Church  of  the 
Purpose  of  Redemption, — which  Christ  loved  be- 
fore the  world  began,  and  for  which  he  gave  him- 
self in  the  Eternal  Covenant. 

§  16.  Such  accordingly  is  the  definition  of  the 
Church,  as  a  point  of  Calvinistic  doctrine,  in  the 
Westminster  Confession.  The  entire  article  forms 
one  definition,  containing,  in  their  logical  order, 
the  three  elementary  ideas  which  enter  into  the 
complex  whole,  in  three  distinct  paragraphs : 
first,  the  Church  ideal,  or  invisible;  second,  this 
ideal  as  manifest  and  actual  in  the  Church  visible ; 
third,  this  visible  body  as  an  organic  body,  re- 
ceiving visible  officers,  laws,  and  ordinances  from 
her  great  Head. 

Any  definition  of  the  Church,  therefore,  is  doc- 
trinally  defective,  which  ignores  either  of  these 
elements,  the  internal  call  (xXriaig)  of  the  Spirit, 
the  external  Mesis  of  the  word,  or  the  organic 
nature  of  the  ekklesia.  As  with  the  peculiar  ordi- 
nances of  the  Church, — Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper, — the  three  elements  of  the  internal  grace, 
the  external  act,  and  the  Divine  appointment 
thereof  are  all  essential  to  the  true  definition, — 
and  that  is  ever  a  dangerous  description  which 
ignores  either  of  the  three ;  so  with  the  definition 


74  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD 

of  the  Churcli  itself,  and  for  precisely  like  rea- 
sons. And  hence,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  defective 
conceptions  of  the  Church  and  of  the  sacraments 
go  ever  hand  in  hand.  "When  the  Church  is  con- 
ceived of  only  as  external  and  organized,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  internal  element  of  its  structure, 
then  the  sacraments  become  merely  external 
rites,  and  the  administrator  the  authoritative 
dispenser  of  grace  through  them.  When,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  Church  is  conceived  of  as  wholly 
an  internal  thing  as  to  its  essential  nature,  then 
the  tendency  is  ever  to  conceive  of  the  sacra- 
ments, in  their  external  character,  as  simply  ap- 
propriate and  suggestive  ceremonies,  representing 
internal  acts  of  the  soul  merely,  rather  than  as 
the  means  of  grace  to  the  soul;  and  the  adminis- 
trator of  the  sacraments,  not  so  much  God's  au- 
thorized minister,  as  one  chosen  by  the  company 
to  preside  merely  in  the  performance  of  a  solemn 
ceremony.  So  of  any  other  defective  view  of  the 
Church.  The  entire  system  of  the  gospel  has  in 
truth  all  its  parts  so  related,  that  error  in  regard 
to  any  one  part  must  in  some  form  affect  every 
other  part.  Considering  that  the  gospel  hath 
sprimg  from  an  infinitely  perfect  Mind,  it  cannot 
be  otherwise. 

§  17.  The  importance  of  the  foregoing  argu- 
ment, as  preliminary  to  an  examination  of  Scrip- 
ture teaching  concerning  the  government  of  the 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELExMENT  OF   THE   GOSPEL.         75 

Church,  will  be  manifest.  In  fact,  one  of  the 
chief  causes  of  the  confused  and  conflicting 
interpretations  of  portions  of  the  word  of  God, 
pertaining  to  this  subject,  arises  from  the  previous 
want  of  a  decision  of  the  question  whether  there 
be  a  Church  at  all.  With  the  advantage  of  this 
vagueness  as  to  the  general  subject  concerning 
which  the  appeal  is  made  to  Scripture,  it  is  obvi- 
ously impossible  to  settle,  from  the  mere  words 
of  the  Scriptures  themselves,  the  true  significancy 
of  their  teachings  on  the  subject.  Hence  error- 
ists,  though  pretending  to  appeal  to  the  Scriptures, 
may  give  illimitable  range  to  the  imagination,  and, 
being  free  to  give  any  one  of  all  possible  mean- 
ings to  the  words  of  the  Sacred  Record,  thereby 
deprive  them  of  any  real  significance.  If,  how- 
ever, it  has  been  established  previously  that  a 
visible  Church,  in  some  form  or  other,  is  an  abso- 
lute necessity  of  the  Plan  of  Redemption  as  re- 
vealed in  the  Scriptures,  demanded  by  the  nature 
of  the  Plan  itself;  presupposed  by  the  very  mode 
of  revealing  the  Plan;  essential  as  a  means  of 
communicating  one  of  its  fundamental  facts  to  the 
world,  and  not  less  essential  as  a  means  of  ac- 
complishing the  Divine  Purpose;  required  as  a 
key  to  the  interpretation  of  the  Sacred  History,  the 
prophetic  expositions  of  the  doctrine  of  Messiah, 
and  the  apostolic  teachings  concerning  his  Kingly 
office;  then  there  are  limits  fixed  within  which 


76  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

the  language  of  prophets,  evangelists  and  apos- 
tles concerning  the  Church  and  its  ordinances  is 
to  have  its  interpretation,  and  which  fix  the  mean- 
ing thereof  with  remarkable  accuracy. 

Having  obtained  this  general  conception  of  the 
Church,  we  assume  this  as  a  positive  standard, 
and  turn  now  on  the  other  hand  to  consider  the 
relation  to  this  idea  of  the  Church, — first,  of  the 
principles  of  government;  and,  second,  the  ordi- 
nances of  worship  and  agencies  pertaining  to  the 
Church,  as  exhibited  in  the  Scriptures. 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF   THE   GOSPEL.         77 


PAET  III. 

THE  RELATION  TO  THE  IDEA  OP  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  PRIN- 
CIPLES OF  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  SET  FORTH  IN  THE 
SCRIPTURE. 

^1.  General  division  of  the  subject  of  government  twofold: — 
First,  the  abstract  principles  underlying  the  structure;  second, 
the  concrete  forms  in  vv^hich  these  principles  are  found  embodied. 
Under  the  first  head,  four  general  classes  of  truths.  ^  2.  The 
source  of  all  Church  power  is  primarily  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Me- 
diator. §  3.  This  power,  where  delegated,  is  vested,  not  in  either 
the  people  as  such,  nor  in  the  ojfficers  of  the  Church,  but  in  the 
body  contemplated  as  an  organic  body,  consisting  of  rulers  and 
ruled.  The  call,  qualification,  and  commission  to  ministers  is  from 
the  Head  of  the  Church ;  the  vocation  to  the  exercise  of  the 
ministry  is  from  the  people.  ^  4.  The  power  of  rule  in  the  Church 
is  a  joint  power,  and  to  be  exercised  through  tribunals  only,  and 
only  for  spiritual  ends.  ^5.  The  civil  distinct  from  the  ecclesi- 
astical power  in  five  particulars, — viz.:  the  source,  the  rule  for 
guidance,  the  scope  and  aim,  the  significant  symbols,  and  the 
mode  of  the  exercise  thereof.  ^  G.  These  distinctions  not  arbitrary 
or  incidental,  but  intrinsic  and  fundamental,  and  exclusive  of  all 
idea  of  any  union  of  the  two,  or  of  any  concurrent  jurisdiction. 
§7.  As  to  the  second  general  class  of  truths,  the  Scriptures  go 
further  than  the  enunciation  of  the  abstract  truth.  The  nature 
of  the  case  requires  a  setting  forth  of  the  offices  to  be  discharged 
in  the  Church.  ^  8.  As  there  is  of  necessity  a  threefold  office  to 
be  discharged,  so  the  Scriptures  hold  forth  three  classes  of  officers. 
1 9.  It  affects  not  the  argument  for  the  offices,  as  intrinsically 
threefold,  that  at  various  periods  of  inspiration  God  hath  set  ex- 
traordinary officers  in  the  Church.  §  10.  As  to  the  courts  of  the 
Church,  they  are  determined  by  what  has  already  been  shown  of 
the  nature  and  the  definition  of  the  Church.     ^11.  Accordingly, 


78  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

the  Scriptures  hold  forth  the  government  of  the  Church  under 
every  dispensation,  as  by  a  series  of  tribunals  corresponding  with 
the  various  extents  of  signification  in  which  the  word  "Church" 
is  taken  in  Scripture.  ^  12.  Summary  of  fundamental  facts  con- 
cerning the  form  of  government  of  the  Apostolic  Church. 

§  1.  As  to  the  relation  of  the  incidental  teaching 
of  the  Scriptures  in  detail  concerning  spiritual 
government  to  the  general  doctrine  of  the  Church 
of  God,  the  limits  of  this  discourse  are  wholly 
insufficient  for  any  extensive  inductions  from 
Scripture,  or  elaborate  argumentative  deductions 
therefrom.  All  that  is  consistent  with  such  limits 
is  a  clear  and  comprehensive  statement  of  the 
more  important  and  more  obvious  principles,  as 
they  seem  to  lie  upon  the  very  surface  of  the 
Scripture.  These  logically  divide  themselves  into 
two  general  classes : — 

First,  the  abstract  principles  which  underlie  the 
structure  of  the  Church  visible  as  a  government. 

Second,  the  concrete  forms  in  which  these  prin- 
ciples are  found  embodied  in  the  structure,  func- 
tions, laws,  and  government  of  the  Church,  as  ac- 
tually existing.  Under  the  first  of  these  heads 
are  included  generally  four  points, — the  source  of 
spiritual  power,  the  delegation  and  vesting  of  the 
power,  the  mode  of  exercising  it  and  the  end  for 
which  it  is  exercised,  and  the  distinctions  and 
limits  between  ecclesiastical  power  and  any  civil 
or  other  power  over  men. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF  THE   GOSPEL.         79 

§  2.  The  source  of  all  Churcli  power  is  primarily 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Mediator.  As  this  is  manifest 
from  all  that  has  gone  before  touching  the  nature 
and  idea  of  the  Church,  so  also  it  is  manifest  from 
the  most  explicit  declarations  of  every  scripture 
relating  to  the  subject.  Anterior  to  his  coming 
in  the  flesh,  as  Jehovah  he  administered  through 
prophets,  priests,  and  extraordinary  ministers. 
The  preamble  to  the  apostolic  commission  asserts 
this  power  as  the  foundation  of  their  authority. 
'^ AU  power  is  given  me,  [as  Mediator:]  go  ye, 
therefore,"  &c.  And,  accordingly,  all  power  in 
the  Church  is  exercised  by  him  and  in  his  name. 
His  apostles  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.*  In  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  the  offender  is  cut  off.*}* 
His  promise  to  the  courts  of  the  Church  is  to  be 
present  when  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
in  his  name.X  And,  in  like  manner,  all  the  pro- 
phetical views  of  his  relation  to  the  Church  de- 
clare in  effect  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
shoulder. §  Nay,  as  actually  containing  in  him- 
self, by  way  of  eminency,  all  the  offices  of  the 
Church,  he  is  styled  the  Apostle, ||  the  Shep- 
herd,T[  the  Chief  Shepherd  and  Bishop,**  the  head 
of  the  Church. ff 

*  Acts  iv.  17,  18.         1 1  Cor.  v.  4.         %  Matt,  xviii.  20. 
§  Isa.  ix.  6,  7,  8;  Luke  i.  32,  33.  ||  Heb.  iii.  1. 

If  John  X.  11.  **  1  Peter  ii.  25. 

■ft  Col.  i.  18;  and  Eph.  i.  22. 

1 


80  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

§  3.  As  to  the  delegation  and  vesting  of  this 
power,  it  is  expressly  taught  that  he  hath  made  such 
delegation,  vesting  the  power  in  men.  Throughout 
the  Old  Testament,  such  is  represented  to  be  the 
method  in  which  he  carried  on  the  administration 
of  his  kingdom.  Men  ruled  and  administered  the 
ordinances  and  spake  in  Jehovah's  name.  In  that 
civil  theocracy  in  which  he  ruled  as  local  king, 
men  commissioned  by  him  ruled  as  judges  and 
kings  over  the  nation,  though  Jehovah  was  King. 
So  in  the  delegation  of  power  under  the  last  dis- 
pensation, distinguished  as  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit, — the  vicar  and  representative  of  Messiah 
in  the  Church, — to  the  apostles  he  said,  "As  my 
Father  sent  me,  even  so  I  send  you." 

But  in  neither  case,  whether  under  the  Old  or 
New  Testament  dispensation,  was  this  power 
vested  in  the  prophets,  kings,  or  apostles  person- 
ally, but  as  representative  men.  Not  in  the  office- 
bearers of  the  Church,  either,  as  distinct  from  and 
irrespective  of  the  people ;  nor  yet  in  the  people 
contemplated  as  an  aggregation  of  individuals. 
In  all  cases  the  power  is  vested  in  the  Church  as 
an  organic  body,  composed  of  both  rulers  and 
ruled.  For  as  God  hath  set  the  members  of  the 
body,  so  hath  he  set  in  the  Church,  first,  apostles, 
secondly,  prophets,  &c.  In  every  inspired  allu- 
sion to  the  power  of  rule  in  the  Church,  the 
power  is  represented  as  vested  in  an  organic  bod/, 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.  81 

as  the  human  body  with  its  several  members  and 
their  functions.*  And  as  it  has  been  shown  be- 
fore that  the  idea  of  the  Church  from  the  very- 
first,  even  in  the  purpose  of  redemption,  was  of 
an  organic  body,  the  reason  for  this  peculiar  view 
of  the  Scripture,  as  to  the  vesting  of  the  power 
is  very  manifest. 

The  power  vests  in  the  body  as  such ;  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  power  is  in  office-bearing  mem- 
bers of  the  body  whom  the  Great  Head  selects, 
calls,  qualifies,  and  commissions  to  rule  ministerially 
in  his  name.  The  Holy  Ghost  makes  them  over- 
seers. But  yet  the  vocation  to  the  exercise  of 
the  office  is  in  the  people,  who  must  try  the 
spirits,  and  judge  whether  they  be  men  full  of 
faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  in  the  ancient 
civil  theocracy  in  which  Jehovah  reigned  as  local 
king  invisibly,  through  a  visible  king  as  his 
minister,  chosen  and  commissioned  by  himself; — 
though  Jehovah's  own  prophet  has  formally 
anointed  David  king,  that  call  and  commission 
from  God  did  yet  not  actually  constitute  David 
king  until  after  long  years  of  trouble  and  dark- 
ness. Judah  first,  and  then  all  Israel,  called  him 
to  the  throne.  So  in  this  spiritual  kingdom  of 
Christ,  though  the  appointment  to  office,  the 
qualifications  and  commission,  are  from  him,  the 

*  Rom.  xii. ;  1  Cor.  xii. ;  Epli.  iv.  4. 


82  THE   CHURCH   OP   GOD 

true  invisible  Head  of  the  kingdom,  yet  the  voca- 
tion to  the  actual  exercise  of  the  office  so  con- 
ferred is  in  the  people.  In  this  sense  of  vocation 
alone,  and  not  in  the  sense  of  power  delegated  by 
the  people  to  their  office-bearers,  are  they  in  any 
case  the  representatives  of  the  people.  If,  as  has 
been  shown,  the  idea  of  the  Church,  as  one  great 
body,  is  essential  in  the  system  of  redemption, 
and  if  in  the  body  as  such  are  vested  the  powers 
of  external  government,  and  that  in  the  form  of 
office-bearers  provided  by  the  Great  Head  and 
given  to  the  Church,  to  be  called  to  the  actual 
exercise  of  these  functions  only  by  the  people, 
then  they  are  ministers  of  the  Church  of  God, 
and  hold  relations  to  the  whole  Church  of  God 
which  preclude  the  idea  of  their  being  exclusively 
the  representatives  of  any  given  part  of  the  peo- 
ple. Hence  the  parallel  between  the  Church  as  a 
spiritual  commonw^ealth  and  the  civil  republic  is 
wholly  fanciful,  or  implies  a  theory  of  the  idea 
and  nature  of  the  Church  fundamentally  different 
from  that  presented  in  the  former  part  of  this 
discussion. 

§  4.  As  to  the  mode  in  which  the  power  of 
government  shall  be  exercised,  there  is  this  re- 
markable peculiarity  in  the  view  set  forth  in  the 
Scripture  history  of  every  era  of  the  Church, — 
viz. :  that  whilst  the  office-bearers  have  severally 
certain  functions  to  discharge,  as  of  teaching,  ad- 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         83 

mimstering  sacraments,  and  oversight,  yet  all 
power  of  jurisdiction  is  to  be  exercised  only 
through  tribunals.  The  fundamental  and  only 
office  of  jurisdiction  alike  in  the  Church  under  all 
dispensations  is  the  office  of  elders,  {npsalSvrspoi.) 
The  title  eTtiaxonog,  occurring  not  over  half  a 
dozen  times  in  the  New  Testament,  seems  used 
only  in  speaking  to  or  of  Gentiles  unfamiliar  with 
the  ancient  ecclesiastical  language  of  the  Church, 
and  hence  eTtiaxoTtog  is  really  nothing  more  than  a 
Grecian  equivalent  for  the  Jewish  ecclesiastical 
term  7tpsa(3vrepog.  From  the  first  to  the  last  of 
the  dispensations  of  God  recorded  in  Scripture,  as 
before  shown,  the  uniform  exponent  of  a  govern- 
ment in  the  Church  is  the  office  of  the  elders, 
(npealSvtspOL;)  and  if  a  name  of  distinction  for 
the  Church  visible,  considered  as  a  form  of  spiri- 
tual government,  is  to  be  applied  to  it,  ''Presbyte- 
rian' has  been  the  proper  title  from  the  days  of 
Israel  in  Egypt  to  the  present. 

Now.  taking  this  title  to  be  expressive  of  govern- 
ment in  the  Church,  the  fact  that,  uniformly, 
throughout  the  Scripture,  a  plurality  of  these 
office-bearers  is  always  indicated,  whether  refer- 
ring to  their  existence  in  a  particular  community 
or  Church,  or  to  the  exercise  of  jurisdiction  therein, 
is,  in  itself,  little  short  of  demonstration  that  their 
power  is  exercised  only  jointly  and  in  tribunals. 
It  is  ever  the  elders  of  a  city  or  Church  in  any 

7* 


84  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD 

locality,  never  the  elder ;  it  is  ever  the  elders  who 
sit  in  council,  who  act  in  the  name  of  the  people, 
who  consult  together  of  the  things  pertaining  to 
the  Church.  Not  a  case  can  be  found  in  all  the 
Scriptures  in  which  an  ordinary  office-bearer  ever 
exercised  jurisdiction  alone,  but  always  as  one 
constituting  a  member  of  a  tribunal. 

And  whilst  this  power  is  thus  limited  in  the 
mode  of  its  exercise,  it  also  is  limited  as  to  its 
end,  which  is  wholly  spiritual.  In  full  accordance 
with  the  idea  of  a  kingdom  not  of  this  world,  and 
of  the  power  of  men  in  it  as  wholly  ministerial, 
is  the  end  for  which  it  is  exercised.  It  is  spiri- 
tual: it  is  to  gain  our  brother.  It  is  that  the 
spirit  of  him  against  whom  this  poAver  is  exercised 
may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It 
is  for  the  edification  of  his  peo]3le,  and  for  the 
Lord's  business;  for  the  peace  and  harmony  of 
the  Church,  for  the  extension  of  the  Church,  and 
for  Jehovah's  glory. 

§  5.  Touching  the  distinction  between  the  power 
ecclesiastical  and  the  civil  power, — which  latter 
is  ordained  by  God  also, — the  points  of  contrast 
are  so  numerous  and  so  fundamental  that  nothing 
but  the  confusion  of  mind  arising  from  the  op- 
pression of  Csesar,  and  Antichrist  backed  by  the 
poAver  of  C?esar,  could  ever  have  caused  the 
obscurity  and  inconsistency  of  the  Church's  testi- 
mony in  modern  times.     For  they  have  nothing 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT  OF   THE   GOSPEL.         85 

in  common  except  that  both  powers  are  of  divine 
authority,  both  concern  the  race  of  mankind,  and 
both  were  instituted  for  the  glory  of  God  as  a  final 
end.  In  respect  to  all  else — their  origin,  nature 
and  immediate  end,  and  in  their  mode  of  exer- 
cising the  power, — they  differ  fundamentally. 
Thus,  they  differ : — 

1.  In  that  the  civil  power  derives  its  authority 
from  God  as  the  Author  of  nature,  whilst  the  power 
ecclesiastical  comes  alone  from  Jesus  as  Mediator. 

2.  In  that  the  rule  for  the  guidance  of  the 
civil  power  in  its  exercise  is  the  light  of  nature 
and  reason,  the  law  which  the  Author  of  nature 
reveals  through  reason  to  man;  but  the  rule  for 
the  guidance  of  ecclesiastical  power  in  its  exercise 
is  that  light  which,  as  Prophet  of  the  Church, 
Jesus  Christ  has  revealed  in  his  word.  It  m  a 
government  under  statute  laws  abeady  enacted  by 
the  King. 

3.  They  differ  in  that  the  scope  and  aim  of  the 
civil  power  are  limited  properly  to  things  seen  and 
temporal;  the  scope  and  aim  of  ecclesiastical 
power  are  things  unseen  and  spiritual.  Religious 
is  a  term  not  predicable  of  the  acts  of  the  State ; 
folitical  is  a  term  not  predicable  of  the  acts  of  the 
Church.  The  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  are  things  concerning  which  Csesar  can 
have  rightfully  no  cognizance,  except  indi/*ectly 
and  incidentally  as  these  things  palpably  affect 


86  THE    CHURCH    OF   GOD 

the  temporal  and  civil  concerns  of  men ;  and  even 
then  Csesar  cannot  be  too  jealously  watched  by  the 
Church.  The  things  i^ertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  Caesar  are  matters  of  which  the  Church  of 
Christ  as  an  organic  government  can  have  no 
cognizance,  except  incidentally  and  remotely  as 
affecting  the  spiritual  interests  of  men;  and  even 
then  the  Church  cannot  watch  herself  too  jea- 
lously. 

4.  They  differ  in  that  the  significant  symbol  of 
the  civil  power  is  the  sword ;  its  government  is  a 
government  of  force,  a  terror  to  evil-doers;  but 
the  significant  symbol  of  Church  power  is  the 
keys,  its  government  only  ministerial,  the  func- 
tions of  its  officers  to  open  and  close  and  have 
a  care  of  a  house  already  complete  as  to  its 
structure  externally,  and  internally  organized  and 
provided. 

5.  They  differ  in  that  civil  power  may  be  exer- 
cised as  a  several  power  by  one  judge,  magistrate, 
or  governor;  but  all  ecclesiastical  power  pertain- 
ing to  government  is  a  joint  power  only,  and  to 
be  exercised  by  tribunals.  The  Head  of  the 
government  has  not  seen  fit  -to  confer  spiritual 
power  of  jurisdiction  in  any  form  upon  a  single 
man,  nor  authorized  the  exercise  of  the  functions 
of  rule  in  the  spiritual  commonwealth  as  a  several 
power. 

§  6.  It  is  unnecessary  to  digress   here  into  a 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         87 

discussion  of  tlie  rationale  of  these  fundamental 
distinctions.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  show, 
however,  that  they  are  neither  accidental  nor  ar- 
bitrary, but  spring  out  of  those  fundamental 
truths  concerning  the  nature  of  the  Church  itself, 
and  of  its  relations  to  the  gospel,  which  have  al- 
ready been  pointed  out.  These  distinctions,  there- 
fore, are  of  a  nature  to  forbid  all  idea  of  any  con- 
current jurisdiction,  and  to  render  certain  the  cor- 
ruption and  final  apostasy  of  any  part  of  the  Church 
which  shall  persist  in  the  attempt  to  exist  as  a 
governmental  power  concurrent  with  the  State, — it 
matters  not  whether  as  superior,  inferior,  or  equal. 
They  are  the  two  great  powers  that  be,  and  are 
ordained  of  God  to  serve  two  distinct  ends  in  the 
great  scheme  devised  for  man  as  fallen.  The  one 
is  set  up,  in  the  mercy  and  forbearance  of  the  Au- 
thor of  nature  toward  the  apostate  race  at  large, 
to  hold  in  check  the  outworking  of  that  devilish 
nature  consequent  upon  the  apostasy,  and  to  fur- 
nish a  platform,  as  it  were,  on  which  to  carry  on 
another  and  more  amazing  scheme  of  mercy 
toward  a  part  of  mankind.  The  other  is  de- 
signed to  constitute  of  the  families  of  earth 
that  call  upon  his  name,  and  into  the  hearts  of 
which  his  grace  has  ]put  enmity  toward  Satan  and 
his  seed,  a  nation  of  priests,  a  peculiar  nation,  not 
reckoned  among  the  nations,  of  whom  Jehovah  is 
the  God  and  they  are  his  people.     That  not  only 


88  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

the  utter  disregard  of  this  distinction  in  the  for- 
mal union  of  the  Church  and  State — either  merg- 
ing the  Church  in  the  State  or  the  State  in  the 
Church — is  destructive  of  the  Church,  but  that, 
also,  any  degree  of  confusion  in  respect  of  this 
distinction  is  proportionably  dangerous  and  cor- 
rupting, the  history  of  the  Reformed  Churches 
generally,  and  in  particular  of  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, is  a  most  striking  illustration.  Nay,  the 
entire  history  of  the  Church,  from  its  first  organi- 
zation, testifies  that  his  people  must  render  to 
Csesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  as  distinct 
from  rendering  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's, 
or  the  Church  suffers. 

§  7.  But,  in  the  second  place,  the  Scriptures, 
in  their  teachings  concerning  spiritual  government, 
go  beyond  the  enumeration  of  certain  abstract 
truths  merely.  They  set  forth  with  equal  clear- 
ness the  specific  forms  in  which  these  truths  are 
embodied  in  the  scheme  of  government  appointed 
for  the  Church,  both  in  reference  to  the  officers 
and  the  courts  thereof.  As  to  the  offices  to  be 
executed  in  a  community  whose  real  ruler  is  in- 
visible,— Jesus  Christ, — whether  considered  either 
as  acting  personally  or  through  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  his  vicar,  the  functions  are  necessarily  minis- 
terial only,  and  are  therefore  readily  determined 
by  the  nature  and  design  of  the  kingdom  itself. 
If,  as  we  have  seen,  this  kingdom  is  in  its  nature 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         89 

the  outward  development,  and  a  mode  of  reveal- 
ing a  purpose  to  gather  an  elect  body  out  of  the 
race,  and,  considered  as  to  its  design,  is  an  insti- 
tute for  the  calling,  gathering,  and  preparatory 
training  of  the  elect  out  of  the  successive  ages 
of  time,  then  these  official  functions  have  refer- 
ence to  developing  the  purpose  and  accomplishing 
this  design,  and  therefore  must  relate  to  three 
things  exclusively, — viz. :  the  call  of  the  elect 
into  communion  and  keeping  up  their  commu- 
nion with  Christ  the  Head,^that  is,  the  ministry 
of  the  ordinances;  the  preserving  the  order  and 
harmony  of  the  body, — that  is,  government  and 
discipline;  and  the  provision  for  and  care  of  the 
revenues  of  the  community. 

§  8.  In  perfect  consistency,  therefore,  with  these 
views  of  the  nature  and  design  of  the  Church, 
and  the  corresponding  functions  needful  for  the 
ministry  of  '^  doctrine,  disciphne,  and  distribu- 
tion," the  Scriptures  exhibit  as  the  three  classes 
of  divinely  appointed  officers,  first,  ministers 
who  both  rule  and  administer  the  ordinances, — a 
double  office  necessarily  growing  out  of  the  essen- 
tial connection  between  the  word  and  the  spiritual 
government  founded  upon  it;  second,  ministers 
of  rule  only,  and  in  spirituals  only, — an  office 
arising  out  of  the  nature  and  joint  power  of  the 
government  as,  in  idea,  distinct  from  the  several 
powers  of  administering  ordinances,  both  of  which 


90  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

unite  ill  the  first-named  office;  third,  the  minister 
of  temporal  things  pertaining  to  the  community 
for  the  keeping  prominent  that  ordinance  of  the 
fellowship  through  which  is  expressed  the  relation 
of  one  to  another  and  of  one  part  to  another  part 
of  this  body,  even  as  the  other  ordinances  and 
government  are  expressive  of  the  relation  of  one 
and  all  to  the  Great  Head. 

§  9.  It  affects  not  the  substantial  correctness  of 
this  view  of  the  permanent  offices  in  the  Church 
as  growing  out  of  the  very  nature  and  design  of 
the  Church,  and  therefore  necessarily  in  substance 
the  same  in  all  ages  of  the  Church,  that  under 
the  several  dispensations  recorded  in  Scripture 
God  raised  up  extraordinary  officers  at  divers 
times  and  of  divers  sorts,  as  judges,  prophets, 
jipostles,  &c.  Nor  does  it  any  more  affect  this  ar- 
gument and  threefold  classification  of  the  officers 
that  under  different  dispensations  any  one  of  the 
three  offices  should  have  been  discharged  by  two 
or  more  persons  in  the  different  aspects  of  it,  as 
when  both  priest  and  prophet  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment discharged  in  effect  the  functions  of  the 
preacher  of  the  word  of  the  New  Testament. 
For  if  the  offices  arise  out  of  the  nature  and  de- 
sign of  the  Church,  the  fundamental  element  of  a 
proper  classification  is  the  function  itself,  rather 
than  the  functionary.  During  the  era  of  imme- 
diate inspiration,  such  changes  of  mere  form  were 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         91 

made  by  the  same  great  authority  which  first  in- 
stituted the  office;  and,  indeed,  during  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Church  under  a  progressive  and  in- 
complete revelation,  such  changes  must  occur  in 
the  nature  of  the  case,  with  the  changes  of  the 
forms  of  the  ordinances,  according  as  successive 
new  revelations  presented  Messiah,  the  great  ob- 
ject of  worship,  in  new  aspects.  It  is  only  after 
the  revelation  is  complete  and  the  immediate  in- 
spiration withdrawn  from  the  Church  that  the 
forms  of  the  ordinances,  government,  and  offices 
of  the  Church  must  thenceforth  remain  stationary 
and  just  at  the  point  in  which  the  last  and  highest 
development  of  the  revelation  left  them.  The 
limits  of  this  discourse  forbid,  and  the  general 
familiarity  with  this  branch  of  the  subject  renders 
unnecessary,  any  argument  in  detail  to  show  that 
the  last  and  complete  development  of  the  Church 
under  the  apostles  exhibits,  as  the  three  ordinary 
and  permanent  officers  thereof,  elders  who  rule,* 
the  fundamental  office  of  the  Church  as  a  govern- 
ment from  the  first  to  the  last;  elders  who  both 
rule  and  labour  in  word  and  doctrine  ;"j'  deacons  J 
who  represent  the  fellowship  of  the  members  of 
the  Church  in  each  other's  gifts,  and  who  have 


*  Rom.  xii.  8;  1  Tim.  v.  17;  Heb.  xiii.  17. 
t  Heb.  xiii.  7,  8;  1  Tim.  v.  17. 
X  Acts  vi.  4-7;  1  Tim.  iii.  8. 
8 


92  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

care  of  its  revenues  and  the  necessities  of  the 
poor. 

§  10.  As  to  the  courts  of  the  Church,  the  es- 
sential relation  of  these  to  the  foregoing  general 
views  of  the  idea  and  nature  of  the  Church  is 
manifest,  and,  indeed,  has  already  been  pointed 
out  in  what  has  been  said  touching  the  govern- 
mental power  in  the  Church  as  exercised  always 
jointly  and  by  tribunals.  But  the  other  principle 
needs  here  to  be  brought  into  view  which  also 
has  already  been  referred  to  in  a  preceding  part 
of  this  discussion  as  a  fundamental  peculiarity  in 
the  definition  of  the  Church.  This  is  the  fact 
that  the  oneness  of  the  Church  is  so  absolute  by 
reason  of  the  connection  of  the  visible  with  the 
invisible,  as  the  actual  development  of  the  ideal, 
that  the  definition  of  the  Church  is  substantially 
the  definition,  at  the  same  time,  either  of  the 
whole,  or  of  any  part  thereof.  From  this  it  fol- 
lows, in  coming  to  regard  the  Church  as  a  govern- 
mental power,  that  the  power  of  the  whole  is  over 
the  power  of  every  part  thereof,  and  also  the 
power  of  the  whole  in  every  part  thereof.  Hence, 
therefore,  the  same  power  is  in  every  tribunal  that 
is  in  any  tribunal,  whilst  the  power  of  the  greater 
part  is  over  the  power  of  the  smaller  part.  As  it 
is,  the  Church  of  God,  whether  considered  as  the 
body  meeting  in  a  single  house,  or  the  body  in 
Jerusalem,  or  Ephesus,  or  Antioch,  composed  of 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         93 

bodies  meeting  in  different  houses  and  worshipping 
in  different  languages,  or  whether  considered  as 
*the  whole  body  of  the  Churches  in  Judea,  Samaria, 
and  Galilee;  so  tribunals,  in  a  corresponding  ex- 
tent of  jurisdiction,  must  of  necessity  exist  in 
order  to  the  discharge  of  the  functions  which  we 
have  seen  are  an  absolute  condition  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Church  as  one  visible  body,  all  the 
parts  thereof  in  active  communion  with  the  Head. 
And  here  also  is  involved  the  consequence  that  in 
all  ages  of  the  Church  the  tribunals  thereof,  as  to 
their  functions,  must  be  essentially  the  same,  not- 
withstanding, as  in  the  case  of  the  officers  of  the 
Church,  the  progressive  revelation  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  men  immediately  inspired  may 
and  must  produce  changes  in  the  form  of  dis- 
charging these  functions,  until  the  completed  reve- 
lation and  the  withdrawal  of  inspiration  shall  at 
last  leave  them  permanent  in  form  as  well  as  in 
substance. 

§  11.  Now  the  Scriptures  exhibit,  accordingly, 
this  actual  uniformity  of  government,  by  a  series 
of  tribunals  representing  the  different  extents  of 
the  meaning  of  the  word  Church,  as  existing  under 
every  dispensation.  Elders  and  ministers  of  the 
word  form  their  constituent  elements, — and  that 
in  tribunals  having  jurisdiction  of  various  degrees 
of  extent,  from  a  single  community  of  worship- 
pers up  to  that  over  the  whole  visible  body.     Such 


94  THE   CHURCH   OP  GOD 

was  the  structure  of  the  ecclesiastical  tribunals, 
as  distinct  from  the  ci^dl,  under  the  first  general 
organization  of  Moses  ;*  such  it  appears  in  all  the. 
subsequent  history,  whenever  occasion  calls  for  a 
reference  to  it.f  Such  we  find  it,  beyond  all  con- 
troversy, at  the  opening  of  the  New  Testament,  as 
appears  from  the  numerous  allusions  to  the  syna- 
gogue with  its  elders  and  chief  ruler,  and  to  the 
sanhedrim  of  chief  priests,  priests,  and  elders; 
and  such,  with  scarce  a  single  important  modifica- 
tion, do  we  find  the  government  of  the  Church 
under  the  apostles,J  and  so  left  as  the  perpetual 
order  of  government  for  the  Church. 

Thus,  with  remarkable  consistency,  the  Scrip- 
tures are  found  exhibiting  the  same  great  idea  of 
the  Church,  as  pervading  all  the  details  of  ofiice 
and  government  embodied  in  the  actual  forms 
which  the  Church  assumed  through  all  the  ages 
of  inspiration. 

§  12.  As  concerning  the  form  finally  developed 
at  the  close  of  inspiration,  and  which  therefore  is 
to  remain  the  perpetual  form  of  government  for 
the  Church  under  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit 
till  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  these  seem  to 
be  the  fundamental  facts : — 

1.  That  during  his  personal  ministry  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Jewish  Church,  and  in  common  with 

*  Deut.  xvii.  8-12.      f  2  Chron.  xix.  8-11.      J  Acts  xv. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         95 

John  the  Baptist  preaching  the  "Kingdom  of 
Heaven  is  at  hand/'  Jesus  ordained  twelve,  that 
they  should  he  ivitli  him,  and  that  he  might  send 
them  forth  to  preachf^  As  they  were  ever  with 
him  to  be  trained  for  their  work,  they  are  called 
"the  twelve  disciples,"  (^aO>7rat.)f  As  they 
were  with  him  to  have  personal  knowledge  of  his 
life,  works,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension, 
they  are  called  his  "witnesses,"  (ffapn'pot.)J  As 
they  were  "sent  forth,"  either  during  his  own 
ministry  to  assist  in  spreading  the  announcement 
of  the  approaching  new  dispensation,  or  after  his 
ascension  and  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 
disciple,  baptize,  reorganize,  and  give  its  last  per- 
manent form  to  the  visible  Church,  they  were 
"his  apostles,"  [anoaro'koL.)  Thus  alike  in  every 
view  of  their  functions  as  well  as  of  the  qualifica- 
tions for  the  discharge  of  them,  and  of  the  divine 
powers  conferred  for  the  attestation  of  their  au- 
thority, their  office  in  as  far  as  they  were  apostles 
was  extraordinary  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  and 
for  a  temporary  purpose.  The  prime  qualifica- 
tions for  the  office  were  such  as  none  but  they 
could  have.  They  must  have  been  a23pointed  by 
and  have  been  with  Christ  personally;  they  must 
be  qualified  by  personal  observations  to  be  wit- 

*  Mark  iii.  16.  f  Matt.  xi.  1. 

t  Acts  i.  8,  iii.  15;  1  Pet.  v.  1. 

8* 


96  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

nesses ;  they  must  have  miraculous  power  whereby 
to  give  the  ''signs  of  an  apostle,"  even  "signs  and 
wonders  and  mighty  deeds,"*  especially  the  power 
to  confer  the  Holy  Ghost;  for,  as  matter  of  fact, 
whilst  other  extraordinary  ministers  cotemporary 
with  the  apostles  had  in  common  with  them  mi- 
raculous gifts  and  powers,  yet  these  apostles  were 
distinguished  from  all  other  extraordinary  minis- 
ters by  the  peculiar  fact  that  apostles  alone  could 
confer  the  Holy  Ghost.f 

The  relation  of  the  apostles,  therefore,  to  the 
Church  of  God  and  the  ordinary  and  permanent 
officers  thereof  was  analogous  to  that  of  the  ex- 
traordinary civil  assemblage,  or  convention  of 
men  clothed  with  power  to  form  or  reform  the 
civil  constitution,  to  the  ordinary  government  and 
officers  of  the  State  under  the  constitution.  It 
affects  not  the  argument  that  in  either  case  the 
same  persons  may  be  found  exercising  at  the  same 
time  both  the  ordinary  and  extraordinary  offices 
of  the  Church  or  the  State. 

2.  As  recommissioned  at  Chris  l^ti  ascension  to 
"go  into  all  nations,"  &c.  when  tJLe  Holy  Ghost 
shall  have  been  sent  and  power  from  on  high 
given  them,  they  were  clothed  with  plenary  au- 
thority to  reorganize  the  revived  Church  with  a 
view  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  new  posture  of 


*  2  Cor.  xii.  12.  f  Acts  viii.  12-~21^  &o<Z  s,.  44-48. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         97 

the  Church  as  the  Church  of  all  nations.  These 
special  powers,  however,  operated  no  revocation 
of  their  commission  as  preachers  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  In  the  prosecution  of  their  work,  they 
not  only  appointed  deacons*  to  whom  the  care  of 
temporalities  should  be  transferred,  but  also  asso- 
ciated others  with  them  in  the  spiritual  go- 
vernment and  pastoral  oversight  of  the  con- 
gregation. 

The  elders  in  the  converted  synagogues  and  in 
the  ncAvly-formed  Christian  Churches,  as  under 
the  former  dispensation,  became  the  compeers  of 
the  apostles  in  the  oversight  of  the  flocks.f  To 
these  elders,  as  men  appointed  like  themselves  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  the  overseers,  whenever  the 
apostolic  ministry  terminated  in  any  field,  they 
formally  transferred,  as  to  their  successors  in  office, 
all  the  responsibilities  which  had  devolved  upon 
themselves  as  ordinary  ministers,  and  all  the  au- 
thority to  exclude  from  the  Church  false  teachers, 
and  to  repress  schisms,  which  apostles  themselves 
could  have.J     In  short,  all  the  functions  of  the 

*  Acts  vi.         t  -A^cts  xi.  80,  and  xiv.  23 ;  1  Pet.  v.  1-4. 

J  Acts  XX.  17-35.  Let  it  be  noted  how  the  illative  particle 
oyy  in  verse  28,  "  Take  heed  therefore/'  directly  connects 
the  charge  to  the  elders  with  the  previous  recital  of  the  apostles* 
duties  among  them,  and  implies  that  in  his  absence  all  these, 
as  well  as  what  follows,  devolves  upon  them.  He  formally  re- 
cognises the  elders  as  his  successors. 


98  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

apostolic  office,  wliicli  in  the  nature  of  the  case 
could  be  transferred  and  become  permanent  in  the 
Church,  were  transferred  to  the  elders,  first  as 
cotemporaries,  then  as  successors,  of  the  apostles. 
3.  Nor  was  the  co-operation  of  the  elders  with 
apostles,  and  their  co-ordinate  authority  to  oversee 
the  body,  confined  to  the  hmits  of  the  particular 
congregation  of  worshipping  people,  or  even  the 
united  body  of  congregations  in  one  city  or  dis- 
trict. With  the  apostles  the  elders  were  asso- 
ciated also  as  members  of  tribunals  through  which 
the  general  affairs  of  large  sections,  or  of  the  en- 
tire body  of  the  Church,  were  administered.  To 
such  a  tribunal  reports  were  made  from  the  several 
missions;*  and  when  cases  of  controversy  arose 
involving  general  interests  of  the  body,  "the 
apostles  and  elders  came  together  to  consider  the 
matter,"-)-  to  issue  the  case,  and  send  forth  their 
decision  as  a  decree  to  be  observed  by  all  the 
Churches. J  Thus  it  is  manifest  that  the  ordinary 
and  permanent  ministry  of  the  Church  was  shared 
by  the  apostles  with  the  elders  as  their  cotempo- 
raries, and  officially  their  equals,  in  so  far  as  con- 
cerns all  the  functions  of  an  ordinary  and  perma- 
nent ministry  in  the  Church  at  large,  during  the 
period  in  which  the  apostles  themselves  laboured 
in  any  of  the  Churches.     And  naturally,  there- 

*  Acts  XV.  4.      f  Acts  XV.  6.       J  Acts  xv.  22,  23,  and  xvi.  4. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.         99 

fore,  they  left  the  elders  to  be  their  successors  in 
the  general  oversight  of  the  Church  also. 

4.  And  when  we  turn  now  to  the  numerous 
allusions  to  the  ministry,  scattered  throughout  the 
apostolic  epistles,  the  foregoing  view  in  all  its 
parts  is  fully  confirmed. 

First,  as  to  the  apostolic  idea  of  the  Church. 
It  is  the  visible  manifestation  of  the  mystic  body 
of  which  Christ  is  Head,  which  from  eternity  he 
loved,  and  for  which  he  gave  himself,*  to  which, 
as  a  visible  organic  body,  Christ  hath  given  a 
manifold  ministry  to  rule  over  and  teach  for  the 
calling  and  edification  of  his  people. f 

Second,  as  to  the  government  of  the  body  and 
the  officers  appointed  to  rule  permanently  therein. 
The  language  is  remarkably  uniform  and  distinct. 
Thus:  "Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  ac- 
counted worthy  of  double  honour,  especially  they 
who  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;"J  also, 
"remember  them  which  have  the  rule  over  you, 
who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word  of  God."§ 
"  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  sub- 
mit yourselves,  for  they  watch  for  your  souls  as 
they  that  must  give  account,  that  they  may  do  it 
with  joy  and  not  with  grief"     So  also,  "And  we 

*Eph.  i.  4-22,  23;  Col.  i.  18;  Eph.  v.  23,  24,  25-32. 
t  Rom.  xii.  4-8;  1  Cor.  xii.  27,  28;  Eph.  iv.  4-16. 
X  1  Tim.  V.  17.  §  Heb.  xiii.  3-17. 


100  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them  which  labour 
among  you  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and  ad- 
monish you."* 

Now,  from  a  comparison  of  these  and  other 
similar  passages  in  the  epistles,  it  is  manifest  that 
there  are  held  forth  these  general  truths : — 

That  there  is  established  over  the  apostolic 
Church  a  government  administered  by  those  who 
rule  and  who  are  to  be  obeyed. 

That  it  is  an  ecclesiastical  government,  since  it 
is  administered  not  only  by  rulers,  but  rulers  some 
of  whom  labour  in  word  and  doctrine,  and  at  the 
same  time  it  is  an  authority  simply  governmental, 
since  it  is  exercised  in  part  by  those  whose  office 
it  is  to  rule  only. 

That  it  is  a  government  spiritual  in  its  nature 
and  ends.  It  is  of  those  who  are  over  the  Church 
"m  the  Lord,''  and  who  "watch  for  souls,"  and  its 
power  is  spiritual,  "to  admonish,''  also  to  "7'eject."'\ 
That  it  is,  nevertheless,  an  actual  authority  of 
"men"  over  others,  {n^oeataiievovg,)  as  a  father  is 
over  his  household;  for  the  same  word  describes 
the  father's  authority  over  his  household,J  and 
its  authority  is  enforced  §  by  precisely  the  same 
argument  by  which  is  enforced  that  of  the  civil 

*  1  Thess.  V.  12.  f  Titus  iii.  10,  11. 

1 1  Tim.  iii.  4-12.  §  Heb.  xiii.  17. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      101 

magistrate.*  That  the  style  of  this  government 
is  in  exact  accordance  with  the  style  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Church  under  the.  previous  dispensa- 
tions. It  is  by  elders  who  rule  only,  and  elders 
who  both  rule  and  "labour  in  word  and  doc- 
trine," "who  have  spoken  the  word  of  God." 

Third,  as  to  the  extent  of  jurisdiction  in  the 
government,  it  is  not  only  over  the  members  of 
the  body,-{-  but  also  over  the  rulers  by  their  peers,  J 
and  to  be  administered  according  to  established 
forensic  forms.  And  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
questions  proper  for  this  spiritual  jurisdiction, 
they  are  not  only  questions  of  Hfe  and  morals,  but 
also  questions  of  order  and  doctrine.  "A  man 
that  is  an  heretic  reject ;"§  "And  the  spirits  of  the 
prophets  are  subject  to  the  prophets."  "Let  all 
things  be  done  decently  and  in  order." || 

Fourth,  as  to  the  mode  in  which  this  authority 
is  conferred,  it  is  through  special  ordination  of 
faithful  men,  called  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the 
laying  on  the  hands  of  the  presbytery.^ 

Thus  the  facts  set  forth  in  the  apostolic  history 
and  writings  confirm,  in  every  point,  the  view 
which   has  been   before   presented   of  the   idea, 


*  Rom.  xiii.  4.         1 1  Cor.  v.  4-12, 13.         J 1  Tim.  v.  19. 
§  Titus  iii.  10, 11.  II 1  Cor.  xiv.  32,  40. 

T[l  Tim.  iv.  14;  2  Tim.  i.  6,  ii.  6. 


102  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

structure,  and  functions  of  the  visible  Church  of 
God.  Nay,  on  the  theory  of  the  Church  in  Parts 
I.  and  II.  of  this  discourse,  these  facts  have  all  a 
ready  and  clear  exposition;  without  it  they  are 
singularly  confused  and  of  difficult  interpretation. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      103 


PAUT  lY. 

THE     RELATION    TO    THE     IDEA    OF    THE     CHURCH     OP    THE 
ORDINANCES  OF  WORSHIP  APPOINTED  IN  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

§  1.  The  fundamental  ground  and  the  essential  nature  of  public 
worship  determined  by  the  relation  of  worship  to  the  idea  of  the 
Church.  "Worship  is  the  communion  of  the  people  with  the  Head 
of  the  body.  ^  2.  What  are  the  divinely  appointed  ordinances  of 
worship.  1 3.  In  the  relation  of  these  ordinances  to  the  idea  of 
the  Church  lies  the  fundamental  distinction  between  them  and  all 
other  forms  of  thought  among  men.  §  4.  Still  more  direct  and  im- 
mediate is  the  relation  of  the  sacraments  to  the  idea  of  the  Church, 
eince  sacraments  arise  from,  and  are  the  seals  of,  a  covenant  be- 
tween God  and  this  visible  body.  ^  5.  The  distinguishing  mark 
of  the  sacraments  as  seals,  that  the  seal  is  so  constituted  as  to 
be  a  sign  of  the  blessing  particularly  specified  in  the  covenant. 
I  6.  Circumcision  and  Baptism  the  ordinances  through  which  the 
visible  Church  is  perpetuated ;  the  Passover  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per a  perpetual  attestation  of  his  promise  to  be  the  deliverer  of  his 
covenant-people.  §  7.  These  general  principles,  rightly  expounded 
and  logically  arranged,  constitute  the  science  of  the  Church. 

§  1.  It  remains  now  to  complete  the  whole  view 
of  the  subject  by  a  brief  exposition  of  the  rela- 
tion to  the  general  idea  of  the  Church  developed 
in  Parts  I.  and  II.  of  the  several  appointed  ordi- 
nances of  worship  by  which  the  life  of  the  Church 
is  to  be  sustained,  through  which  that  life  is  mani- 
fested, and  by  means  of  which,  as  her  instrumen- 
tality, she  is  to  accomplish  her  great  design^ — the 


104  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

evangelization  of  the  world,  and  the  calling,  gath- 
ering, and  edifying  the  people  given  to  Christ  in 
the  eternal  covenant. 

The  primary  conception  of  all  worship  in  the 
most  general  sense  is  that  of  an  intercommunica- 
tion between  man  and  God.  The  primary  con- 
ception of  all  public  worship  in  the  Christian 
Church  specifically  lies,  manifestly,  in  the  special 
relation  of  the  body  to  the  Head.  The  funda- 
mental design  of  worship  here  must  be,  that  the 
members  of  the  body  may  communicate  with  the 
Head,  in  whom  their  life  is  hid.  The  fundamental 
characteristics  of  all  ordinances  of  worship,  there- 
fore, must  be  that  they  be  adapted  to  communi- 
cate, first,  the  voice  of  the  Great  King  of  the 
Church  to  the  souls  of  his  people;  and  secondly, 
the  voice  of  their  souls  responsive  to  the  voice  of 
God.  Contemplated  as  a  book  of  devotion  on  the 
largest  scale,  the  entire  contents  of  the  Scriptures 
themselves  may  be  classed  under  these  two  cate- 
gories. The  Bible  is  the  "word  of  God"  indeed, 
yet  not  in  the  sense  of  a  record  only  of  what  God 
hath  said  in  every  form  of  providence,  wonders, 
covenants,  and  inspirations,  but  what  man  said  in 
response  also,  either  in  the  way  of  reverent  re- 
spect, or  of  angry  or  careless  defiance.  It  is  an 
infinite  dialogue,  the  voice  of  God  speaking  to  the 
great  soul  of  humanity,  and  the  many-toned  voice 
of  the  soul  of  humanity  answering  back  to  God. 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE    GOSPEL.       105 

And  such  is  the  fundamental  conception  of  all 
true  external  worship  and  ordinances  of  worship. 
Its  purpose  is,  on  the  one  hand,  to  be  the  channel 
of  communication  for  the  voice  of  God  to  the 
soul,  and,  on  the  other,  of  the  soul  of  the  worship- 
per answering  back  to  God. 

§  2.  Concerning  the  ordinances  of  public  wor- 
ship, what  they  are  in  kind,  and  in  what  manner 
to  be  performed,  there  can  be  little  question  among 
those  who  agree  in  holding  the  Scriptures  to 
be  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  worship.  Reading, 
expounding,  and  preaching  the  word,  blessing  the 
people,  prayer,  singing  praise,  and  the  act  of  fel- 
lowship in  the  collection ;  these,  together  with  the 
sacraments,  (which  as  complex  ordinances  are 
best  left  to  a  separate  consideration,)  and  disci- 
pline, which  cannot  here  be  considered,  are  the 
ordinances  of  scriptural  authority  in  the  public 
worship  of  God.  Here,  then,  are  plainly  appointed 
the  two  sorts  of  acts  of  worship  which  express 
the  communion  between  the  Great  Head  of  the 
kingdom  and  the  citizens  thereof.  The  minister 
of  the  worship  stands  in  the  reading,  expounding, 
and  preaching  the  word,  and  in  the  benediction 
and  pronouncing  sentence  of  discipKne,  to  speak 
for  God  to  men,  and  in  the  prayer  to  speak  for 
men  to  God.  And  in  addition  to  the  prayer  by 
which  the  people  in  one  form  make  response  to 
the  voice  of  God  through  the  representative  voice 


106  THE   CHURCH    OF   GOD 

of  the  minister,  in  the  ordinance  of  singing  praise 
provision  is  made  for  each  worshipper  to  make  re- 
sponse for  himself,  and  therefore  the  choice  of  this 
form  of  utterance  in  harmonious  sounds,  that  the 
voice  of  response  from  the  great  congregation,  each 
for  himself,  may,  as  an  external  act  of  worship,  be 
without  harshness  and  confusion.  The  bearing  of 
this  view  of  singing  praise  in  public  worship  upon 
the  question  whether  it,  like  the  prayer,  shall  be 
done  representatively  by  a  few,  or  by  the  whole 
congregation,  is  very  obvious. 

§  3.  Once  the  nature  of  the  ordinances  of  wor- 
ship is  properly  apprehended,  and  their  relation 
to  the  idea  of  the  Church,  it  at  once  separates  them 
in  idea  from  every  other  kind  of  acts  analogous 
to  or  resembling  them.  The  reading  of  the  word 
in  the  public  worship  is  a  solemn  ofl&cial  ministra- 
tion for  Christ,  and  the  utterance  of  his  voice  to 
the  people.  Hence  the  custom,  so  earnestly  urged 
as  an  expediency  by  many  who  hold  high  views 
of  the  dignity  and  sacredness  of  the  ministry,  of 
reading  the  Scriptures  at  public  worship  in  alter- 
nate portions  by  minister  and  people,  originates  in 
a  manifest  misconception  of  the  nature  of  that 
ordinance  of  reading  the  word,  and  tends  to  ob- 
scure in  the  minds  of  the  people  its  true  relation 
to  the  worship  as  belonging  to  the  class  of  acts  in 
which  the  minister  speaks  for  God  to  man.  The 
expounding  of  the  word  is  no  mere  display  of 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE    GOSPEL.       107 

critical  learning  or  skill,  but  the  solemn  unfolding 
of  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  in  the  word.  The 
preaching  of  the  word  can  no  longer  be  mistaken 
for  skilful  teaching,  or  elegant  speech,  or  profound 
reasoning,  or  labouring  to  convert  men;  all  these 
may  be  involved  in  it  as  incidents ;  but  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word  is  essentially  the  uttering  the 
message  of  Christ  to  men,  and  applying  it  to  the 
soul;  it  is  the  taking  that  word  which  Christ,  as 
the  Prophet  of  the  Church,  hath  uttered,  and 
through  the  usual  forms  operating  by  speech  upon 
the  human  soul,  and  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
making  it  still  the  voice  of  Christ  to  men  now,  as 
really  as  it  was  to  those  to  whom  it  was  first  ut- 
tered. In  this  aspect  of  his  work,  and  assuming 
him  to  be  both  teacher  and  pastor,  the  preacher 
of  the  new  is  the  true  successor  of  the  prophet  of 
the  old  dispensation.  In  the  one  case,  the  reve- 
lation not  yet  being  completed,  the  prophet  gath- 
ered from  direct  communication  with  God  his  mes- 
sage to  be  delivered,  and  then  permanently  recorded 
it  as  God's  voice ;  in  the  other  case,  the  revelation 
being  now  complete,  the  preacher  has  that  as  the 
permanent  oracle  from  which,  led  by  the  Spirit, 
he  is  to  gather  the  message  of  God,  and,  by  every 
proper  means  of  reaching  the  human  soul,  lodge  it 
there  as  the  message  of  God.  So  the  benediction 
upon  the  people  is  the  word  of  God  to  men.  It 
is  not  of  the  class  with  the  prayer  and  praise 

9* 


108  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

which  it  resembles  in  form,  but  belongs  to  the 
other  class  of  acts  in  which  the  minister  speaks 
for  God  to  men,  and  perhaps  is  most  nearly  analo- 
gous to  the  authoritative  sentence  of  discipHne 
which  it  is  his  office  also  to  pronounce.  The  act 
of  fellowship  in  the  collection  for  pious  uses  is 
more  complex  as  an  act  of  worship,  but  is  properly 
reckoned  also  among  the  responsive  acts  of  the 
people,  whereby  they  give  expression  to  the  com- 
munion that  exists  between  all  the  members  and 
all  the  parts  of  the  one  great  body,  through  the 
communion  of  each  and  all  with  Christ  the  Head. 
Thus  every  ordinance  of  the  Church  in  -  detail  is 
perceived  to  have  its  significancy,  its  reason,  and 
its  distinction  from  every  thing  else  that  is  not  an 
ordinance  of  worship,  on  account  of  its  relation  to 
the  same  fundamental  idea  of  the  Church  external 
and  actual,  as  at  once  the  development  of  the 
great  ideal,  and  as  the  instrument  for  the  final  and 
perfect  accomplishment  of  the  great  ideal  of  the 
purpose  of  redemption. 

§  4.  Still  more  direct  is  the  relation  of  the  idea 
of  the  sacraments  to  the  idea  of  the  Church  visi- 
ble as  an  organized  spiritual  community.  For  the 
two  sacraments  of  the  Church,  ahke  under  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  are  but  the  signs  and 
seals  of  the  two  special  covenants  in  the  great 
series  of  covenant-revelations,  by  one  of  which  the 
Phurch  visible  was  constituted,  and  by  the  other 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      109 

of  which  the  full  and  final  deliverance  of  the 
Church  so  constituted  was  guaranteed.  It  has 
already  been  shown  that,  in  revealing  himself  to 
man,  God  was  pleased  not  only  to  accommodate 
himself  to  the  language  of  men,  but  also  to  the 
habits  of  thought  current  among  men,  and  there- 
fore not  only  to  give  his  word,  but,  as  it  were, 
his  bond,  for  the  promised  blessings  of  salvation. 
And  just  as  men  feel  more  secure  when  their 
affairs  with  each  other  are  no  longer  left  open  to 
any  uncertainties  from  differences  of  understand- 
ing, nor  dependent  upon  mere  general  promises, 
but  definitively  closed  by  a  bond,  contract,  or  co- 
venant, behind  which  they  need  not  go  for  evi- 
dence in  claiming  their  rights  and  privileges, — so 
God  vouchsafed  to  reveal  the  blessings  of  the 
gospel  in  the  form  of  covenants  for  the  greater 
assurance  of  the  faith  of  his  people.  In  the  case 
of  two  of  these  covenant-revelations, — the  one 
with  Abraham,  constituting  him  and  his  family  the 
separate  visible  Church,*  the  other  with  the  chil- 
dren of  Abraham,  now  a  great  community  just 
about  to  be  deHvered,  as  the  Lord's  covenant-peo- 
ple, from  bondage,f  he  not  only  bound  himself 
in  the  contract,  but  called  upon  the  beneficiaries 
of  the  covenant,  by  a  formal  external  act  of  his 
own  selection,  to  set  their  seals  also  to  the  instru- 

*  Gten.  xvii.  f  Ex.  xii. 


110  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 

ment.  In  the  one  covenant  the  seal  was  ch'cum' 
cision,  in  the  other  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  the 
lamb  and  eating  its  flesh  with  solemn  observances. 
This  solemn  affixing  the  seal  to  the  covenant  with 
God  was  commanded  in  both  cases  to  be  perpetu- 
ally observed  in  the  Church.  Hence,  then,  the 
sacraments  derive  their  origin,  as  ordinances  of 
worship,  in  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament 
eras.  As  before  observed  in  the  case  of  other  or- 
dinances, the  form  changed  with  the  progress  of 
the  revelation,  but  the  essential  idea  of  the  sacra- 
ments remains  the  same.  So  they  are  regarded 
in  Scripture.  The  same  spiritual  significancy  is 
attributed  to  circumcision*  as  to  baptism,  and  to 
the  passover  as  to  the  Lord's  Supper.f  The  same 
ideas  are  expressed  by  metaphors  taken  indiffe- 
rently from  either  the  Old  or  the  New  Testament 
form  of  these  sacraments,  and  even  the  names  of 
the  one  interchanged  for  the  other.  Nor  does  the 
change  of  the  form  of  the  seal,  putting  the  rite  of 
baptism  for  circumcision,  at  all  affect  the  argument 
for  the  identity  of  the  covenant,  and,  of  course,  the 
identity  of  the  Church,  under  both  dispensations. 
For  the  great  truth  signified,  as  already  shown,  in 
circumcision  and  baptism — the  regeneration  of  the 
soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost — is  equally  expressed  in 


*  Deut.  X.  16  and  xxx.  6;  Lev.  xxvi.  41;  Rom.  ii.  29  and 
iv.  11;  Phil.  iii.  3;  Col.  ii.  11-13.  f  1  Cor.  v.  7,  8. 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      Ill 

Scripture  by  either,  as  a  symbol.  Circumcision, 
as  aU  other  ordinances  of  the  Old  Testament,  ex- 
pressed faith  as  from  a  prophetic  stand-point,  and 
a  desire  for  regeneration  as  the  cutting  off  of  the 
filth  of  the  flesh;  baptism  expresses  faith  from  a 
historic  stand-point,  and  contemplates  prominently 
the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  power 
which  alone  can  effect  the  regeneration.  Thus, 
however  apparently  unlike  the  symbol,  the  thing 
signified  in  both  is  the  same, — viz.,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  the  regenerator  and  sanctifier  of  the 
elect  ones  of  the  eternal  covenant. 

§  5.  These  observations  bring  into  view  a  pecu- 
liarity of  all  these  seals  of  the  covenant,  alike  in 
the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments, — viz. :  that  the 
seal  is  itself  of  such  kind  and  form  as  to  signify 
visibly  the  great  idea  contained  in  the  instrument 
to  which  it  is  attached.  Thus,  as  just  observed, 
the  circumcision  or  baptism  symbolizes  the  renun- 
ciation of  the  sin  characteristic  naturally  of  the 
seed  of  the  serpent,  and  that  regeneration  of  the 
nature  by  Divine  power  which  puts  the  enmity 
between  the  seeds,  thus  significant  of  a  translation 
into  the  body  of  the  elect  seed  to  become  the 
Lord's  people.  The  passover,  or  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, is  at  once  commemorative  of  the  deliverance 
of  the  elect  ones  from  death,  and  at  the  same  time 
their  spiritual  life  as  nourished  only  by  communion 
with  their  King  and  Deliverer.     So  that  in  each 


112  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD 

case  the  seal  becomes  a  sign  also,  and  therefore 
the  sacraments,  as  external  acts  of  worship,  be- 
come seals  and  signs  of  internal  grace,  and  involve 
in  one  and  the  same  act  both  parts  of  the  commu- 
nion which  constitute  worship, — the  word  of  God 
to  the  soul,  and  the  response  of  tlie  soul  to  that 
word, — both  words  made  Adsible  to  the  senses,  and 
at  the  same  time  used  as  the  instrumentality  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  confer  the  blessings  sjnnbolized. 
§  6.  As  circumcision  or  baptism,  therefore,  is 
the  seal  of  the  covenant  which  first  constituted 
the  visible  Church,  so,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  it  becomes  the  sacrament  which  continually 
perpetuates  the  visible  Church.  It  is  the  enter- 
ing into  solemn  contract  to  be  Jehovah's  people, 
as  he  contracts  to  be  the  God  of  all  such  in  the 
original  instrument.  As  that  original  instrument 
expressly  provides  that  the  family  principle,  which 
had  obtained  in  all  the  previous  as  in  all  subse- 
quent covenants,  shall  still  be  recognised  as  fun- 
damental under  this  covenant  charter  of  the  new 
visible  community,  so  that  principle  must  con- 
tinue to  be  recognised  under  all  dispensations  and 
changes  of  the  form  of  the  seal.  As  the  origi- 
nal social  organization  out  of  which  the  Church 
grew  was  the  family,  so  the  constituent  elements 
of  the  visible  Church,  from  the  first,  were  families. 
Its  members  are  not  individual  believers  merely, 
but  their  seed  also  with  them.     And,  as  we  have 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE    GOSPEL.       113 

already  shown  that  this  community,  in  essential 
idea  and  in  fact,  remains  the  same  under  all  changes 
of  dispensation,  so  it  is  still  constituted  of  the 
same  elements  as  at  first. 

And  as  the  one  sacrament  is  thus  made  the  in- 
strument of  a  perpetual  process  of  creating  the 
visible  Church  itself,  so  the  other  sacrament  is  a 
perpetual  attestation  of  the  great  promise  to  re- 
deem his  elect  coA^enant  people,  and  on  their  part 
of  their  simple  rehance  on  that  promise  for  salva- 
tion, and  their  renewal  of  the  engagement  to  be 
his  people,  ruled  and  guided  by  him  as  their  King 
and  Head.     As,  then,  in  the  ministration  of  the 
word,  the  minister  commissioned  of  Christ  speaks 
for  Christ  to  men,  so  in  the  sacraments  he  stands 
as    Christ's    authorized  attorney,  to    exhibit   his 
covenant  and  receive  from  men  their  seal  to  it. 
They  thus   become    special  means   of  grace,  ex- 
hibiting, as  they  do,  the  whole  promise  of  the 
gospel  in  substance  in  the  form  of  a  solemn  bond 
closed  and  sealed.     His  peoj^le,  by  reason  of  sin 
and  manifold  temptations,  ever  prone  to  doubt,  un- 
belief, and  confusion  of  ideas  as  to  the  terms  on 
which  they  may  receive  salvation,  are  herein  re- 
assured in  the  strongest  form, — even  the  bond  of 
Jehovah ;  and  they  are  at  the  same  time  reminded 
that  the  simple  terms  of  this  covenant  alone  are 
the  terms   of   salvation,  and  there   are  no   open 
questions  touching  them,  nor  need  they  ever  con 


114  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

cern  themselves  as  to  any  thing  behind  the  cove- 
nant. 

It  is  scarcely  needful  to  add  the  inference 
from  the  foregoing  view  that  where  there  is  no 
Church  there  can  be  no  sacraments,  and,  con- 
versely, no  sacraments,  no  Church,  in  the  sense 
of  a  visible  organized  body. 

§  7.  Such  is  a  brief  and  necessarily  imperfect 
sketch  of  the  relations  conceived  to  exist  between 
the  several  fundamental  truths  which  constitute 
the  doctrine  of  the  Church  and  w^hat  should  be 
the  grand  central  idea  of  that  doctrine.  These 
truths,  if  clearly  stated,  rightly  expounded,  and 
logically  arranged,  having  their  several  relations 
to  each  other  determined  and  their  resulting 
truths  evolved,  would  constitute  a  positive  science 
of  the  Church.  It  may  be  seen,  however,  from 
even  this  outline,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
a  positive  doctrine  of  the  Church,  and  that,  too, 
forming  an  essential  part  of  the  system  of  truth 
pertaining  to  salvation  as  revealed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. And  therefore  it  is  not  without  most 
weighty  reason  that  this  doctrine  should  claim 
very  prominently  the  attention  of  those  whose 
office  it  may  be  to  rule  in  the  Church  and  expound 
the  word  of  God.  The  limits  of  this  discourse 
are  utterly  inadequate  to  the  exhibition  of  even 
the  most  important  of  the  bearings  of  such  a  doc- 
trine of  the  Church  as  this,  and  its  wide  range  of 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF    THE    GOSPEL.       115 

application  to  almost  every  one  of  the  more  pro- 
minent subjects  of  agitation  and  controversy  in 
the  modern  Church.  Yet,  simply  for  the  sake  of 
suggesting  the  general  method  of  this  application, 
a  few  illustrations  will  here  be  subjoined  in  con- 
clusion. 


10 


116  THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 


CONCLUDING  OBSERVATIONS. 

^  1.  If  there  be  such  a  positive  doctrine  of  the  Church  revealed, 
then  there  is  no  place  for  a  via  media  ;  nor  can  the  true  amalga- 
mate with  any  other  theory.  |  2.  This  illustrated  by  a  parallel 
comparison  of  the  theories  of  Presbytery,  Independency,  and  Pre- 
lacy, showing  how  they  differ  in  their  fundamental  idea,  and  each 
consistent  with  itself;  they  differ  also  in  every  important  detail. 
^  3.  From  the  nature  of  the  case,  there  is  no  place  for  human  tra- 
ditions, expediencies,  and  ingenuities  in  respect  to  the  order  and 
ordinances,  any  more  than  in  respect  to  the  creed,  of  the  Church. 
^  4.  The  current  prejudice  against  the  principles  of  Divine  war- 
rant founded  upon  mere  fallacy  and  misconception  of  the  true 
idea  of  the  Church.  ^  5.  Clear  views  of  the  Divine  appointment 
of  all  that  pertains  to  the  government  and  worship  of  the  Church 
necessarily  tend  to  higher,  more  earnest  and  spiritual  views  of  the 
Church  and  her  work.  ^6.  Special  call  upon  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  to  testify  for  these  truths  from  her 
past  history  and  from  her  present  position.  §  7.  The  true  organon 
of  the  science  of  the  Church  the  word  of  God. 

§  1.  It  is  clear,  if  there  be  such  a  positive  doc- 
trine of  the  Church,  scripturally  and  logically 
developed  from  the  very  fundamentals  of  the 
gospel,  and  pervading  the  entire  spirit  of  the 
system,  then  it  is  idle  to  conceive  of  any  via  media 
between  this  theory  and  theories  of  the  Church 
radically  different  from  this,  and  dangerous  to  the 
peace  and  purity  of  the  Church  to  endeavour  to 
amalgamate  them. 

§  2.  If  we  select,  for  instance,  the  three  mo- 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.       117 

dern  theories  of  the  Church  most  apt  to  be  con- 
sidered non-essential  in  their  differences,  and 
therefore  most  frequently  thought  capable  of  being 
thus  fused  together, — the  theories  of  Presbytery, 
of  Independency,  and  of  Prelacy, — and  apply 
the  principles  here  set  forth,  tracing  out  each  from 
the  fundamental  idea  of  the  Church,  they  will  be 
found  radically  distinct  at  each  successive  point. 
This  will  appear  from  a  parallel  comparison  of 
these  three  theories  in  their  radical  idea,  and  in 
the  several  secondary  principles  derived  there- 
from, touching  the  general  idea,  structure,  and 
functions  of  the  Church  of  God. 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  CHURCH:— 


According  to  Presby- 
tery. 
1.  As  to  the  idea  of 
the  Church.  —  The 
Church  visible  is  that 
organic  body  which 
— as  a  manifestation  of 
the  purpose  of  God  to 
redeem  an  elect  body 
of  which  the  Mediator 
is  bead,  as  a  method  of 
revealing  to  men  that 
purpose,  and  as  a  means 
to  the  accomplishment 
thereof — hath  been  by 
special  covenant  or- 
ganized in  time  into  a 
visible  kingdom  or  spi- 
ritual commonwealth, 
with  laws,  ordinances, 
and  officers. 


According  to  Indepen- 
dency. 
1.  As  to  the  idea  of 
the  Church. — The  only 
Church  visible  is  the 
confederation  of  osten- 
sible Christians,  or- 
ganized by  mutual  co- 
venant into  a  society 
complete  in  itself,  with 
the  design  of  meeting 
personally  together  for 
Christian  worship. 

There  is  no  actual,  one 
visible  Church,  be- 
yond the  ideal  aggre- 
gate of  the  unities  of 
Christian  societies. 


According  to  Prelacy. 

1.  As  to  the  idea  of  the 
Church.— The  Church 
visible  is  an  organic 
unity,  incorporated  by 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  per- 
sons of  the  apostles 
and  their  successors  in 
office,  through  whom 
he  gathers  into  con- 
nection with  them- 
selves his  elect  body, 
communicates  the  grace 
of  salvation,  and  rules 
the  people  as  their 
King. 


118 


THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 


2.  The  constituent 
elements  of  the  Church 
visible  are  not  simply 
individuals,  but  indivi- 
duals also  as  represent- 
ing families,  through 
them  thus  entering  into 
the  covenant  with  God 
by  which  the  visible 
Church  is  organized 
and  perpetuated. 

3.  The  power  in 
this  spiritual  common- 
wealth is  from  Jesus 
Christ  the  Mediator;  is 
by  him  vested  in  the 
Church,  contemplated 
as  an  organic  body 
composed  of  rulers  and 
ruled ;  is  to  be  adminis- 
tered by  office-bearers 
whom  he  selects,  quali- 
fies, and  commissions, 
but  to  be  actually  ex- 
ercised only  at  the  vo- 
cation of  the  people, 
and  after  ordination  by 
a  proper  tribunal. 

4.  The  visible  Church 
is  an  actual  govern- 
ment, perfect  in  all 
its  parts,  distinct  from 
the  civil  government, 
which  is  also  of  God. 
It  is  distinct  from  the 
civil  government  in 
that: — (1.)  The  source 
of  all  Church  power  is 
Jesus  the  Mediator;  of 
civil  power,  God  the 
Author  of  nature.  (2.) 
The    rule     to     direct 


2.  The  constituent 
elements  of  the  Church 
visible  are  believers 
only,  i.e.  such  as  give 
credible  evidence  of 
saving  faith,  who  enter 
into  mutual  covenant 
with  each  other  to  wor- 
ship God  and  walk  ac- 
cording to  his  ordi- 
nances. 

3.  The  power  of  go- 
vernment ecclesiastical 
is  from  Jesus  Christ; 
but,  like  the  power  of 
civil  government,  it  is 
vested  in  the  people, 
as  such;  is  to  be  exer- 
cised only  by  the  peo- 
ple, either  in  mass  or 
through  delegates  se- 
lected by  them,  whose 
only  ordination  is  their 
appointment  and  in- 
stallation in  office  by 
the  people. 


4.  The  visible  Church 
is  a  spiritual  common- 
wealth only  in  so  far 
as  relates  to  the  mutual 
covenanting  of  a  body 
of  believers  who  per- 
sonally worship  to- 
gether. Nor  is  there 
any  other  power  of 
government  in  the 
Church,  save  such 
power  as  is  invested 
in  the  single  congrega- 
tion  for    its    separate 


2,  The  constituent 
elements  of  the  Church 
visible  are  such  indi- 
viduals, adult  and  in- 
fant, as  are  made  mem- 
bers of  the  body  by 
their  baptism. 


3.  The  power  of  go- 
vernment ecclesiastical 
is  vested  by  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  order  of 
men  first  incorporated 
as  the  Church,  and 
their  successors  in  of- 
fice. Nor  without  or- 
dination at  their  hands 
can  any  ministry  be 
lawful  or  any  ordi- 
nances valid.  When 
it  is  expedient,  the 
apostle-bishops  may 
call  in  the  counsel  and 
aid  of  others, — but  as 
advisory  only. 

4.  The  Church  visi- 
ble, considered  as  a 
government,  is  not 
a  spiritual  common- 
wealth, but  a  hierarchy, 
and  in  its  order  is  su- 
perior to  the  civil  go- 
vernment, or  should 
have  at  least  concur- 
rent jurisdiction  with 
it,  except  as  consider- 
ations of  expediency 
may  render  it  proper 
to  decline  any  connec 


AN   ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE    GOSPEL.       119 


the  administration  of 
Church  power  is  the 
revealed  word  only,  the 
statute  law  of  the  king  ; 
the  rule  to  direct  the 
civil  power  is  reason 
and  the  light  of  na- 
ture. (3.)  The  scope 
and  aim  of  Church 
power  are  things  spi- 
ritual, of  civil  power 
things  temporal.  (4.) 
The  symbol  of  Church 
power  is  the  keys, — as 
ministerial  only ;  of  the 
civil  power  the  symbol 
is  the  sword, — as  coer- 
cive. And  in  the  ge- 
neral exercise  of  this 
power  all  the  ends  of 
the  Church,  as  the  one 
visible  body  and  king- 
dom of  Christ,  whether 
contemplated  as  a 
whole,  or  any  part 
thereof,  are  to  be  ac- 
complished. Nor  is  it 
competent  to  this  go- 
-vernment  to  legislate 
of  matters  pertaining 
to  the  State,  or  to  the 
State  to  legislate  of  ec- 
clesiastical affairs. 

5.  Therefoi'e  the 
Church,  considered  as 
an  instrumentality,  is 
both  a  divinely  ap- 
pointed government 
for  the  training  and 
edification  of  the  elect, 
and  a  divinely  appoint- 
ed missionary  organi- 
zation, complete  in  all 


government.  Nor  is 
there  any  obligation 
to  confederate  together 
several  congregations, 
except  as  mutual  con- 
venience may  dictate. 
It  is  the  province  of 
the  Church  so  con- 
federated to  guide,  en- 
lighten and  rectify 
public  opinion  on  any 
matters  pertaining  to 
the  moral,  social,  civil, 
or  political  welfare  of 
the  civil  community. 


tion     with    the    civil 
power. 


5.  Therefore  there  is 
no  provision  made  by 
Divine  warrant  for  any 
government  of  the 
Church  as  one  body, 
or  for  any  concentra- 
ting thereof  as  a  mis- 
sionary organization, 
or  for  any  agencies 
through  which  the 
10* 


5.  The  whole  govern- 
mental authority  of 
the  Church  being 
vested  in  this  hier- 
archy, there  is  herein 
all  needful  provision 
for  the  evangelization 
of  the  world, — and 
through  this  agency 
alone  can   the  gospel 


120 


THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD 


its  parts,  for  concentra- 
ting the  strength  of 
his  people  on  the  work 
of  evangelizing  the 
world  and  affording 
the  agencies  through 
which  to  work. 

6.  The  fundamental 
office  of  government  in 
the  Church  is  the 
Eldership, — of  two 
classes,  one  that  rule 
only,  the  other  that 
both  rule  and  also 
administer  ordinan- 
ces. As  rulers,  in 
either  ease  the  power 
is  a  joint  power,  to  be 
exercised  only  by  them 
as  members  of  tribu- 
nals. Besides  this,  the 
only  power  of  govern- 
ment in  the  Church  is 
the  office  of  the  Dea- 
cons, which  concerns 
temporalities  only. 

7.  As  to  the  mode 
of  administration  of 
Church  government. — 
The  whole  body  being 
one,  yet  every  organic 
part  thereof  having  the 
functions  belonging  to 
the  whole,  and  the 
power  of  the  whole 
being  over  the  power 
of  every  part,  the 
administration  is  by  a 
series  of  tribunals  re- 
presenting the  different 
extents  in  which  the 
term  «/cX;7<ria  is  taken 


work  shall  be  carried 
on.  But  it  is  compe- 
tent for  the  Christian 
people  to  devise  such 
voluntary  organiza- 
tions for  this  or  any 
other  purpose  as  may 
be  deemed  expedient. 

6.  There  is  no  officer 
of  rule  in  the  Church 
divinely  appointed. 
The  people  of  the 
Church  appoint  one  or 
more  to  administer  or- 
dinances, who  are  the 
elders,  and  also  dea- 
cons, to  be  assessors 
with  them. 


grace  be  offered  to  all 
nations. 


7.  The  administra- 
tion of  Church  power, 
as  such,  is  confined 
to  the  particular  con- 
gregation. Nor  does 
the  confederation  of 
Churches  give  any 
power  to  the  greater 
part  over  the  smaller 
part.  All  power  be- 
yond that  in  the  par- 
ticular congregation  is 
purely  moral,  unde- 
fined, and  unrestrained 
by  any  limits. 


6.  The  officers  of  the 
Church  are  of  three 
orders,  divinely  ap- 
pointed,— bishops,  who 
exercise  apostolic  au- 
thority, and  who  ap- 
point under  them; 
priests;  and  deacons,  to 
administer  ordinances. 


7.  The  administra- 
tion of  Church  govern- 
ment is  ex  ordine  by 
bishops,  and  not  jointly 
by  tribunals.  But  it 
is  expedient  to  asso- 
ciate with  the  bishop 
advisory  councils;  and 
also  to  represent  the 
unity  of  the  whole 
Church  in  a  council  of 
Bishops. 


AN  ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      121 


in  Scripture,  -with  well- 
defined  and  limited 
powers  from  the  lowest 
to  the  highest  court. 

8.  The  sacraments  of 
the  Church  are  actual 
visible  seals  of  a  cove- 
nant between  the  Me- 
diator and  bis  elect 
Church,  and  signs  to 
them  of  the  grace 
guaranteed  to  the 
Church  in  the  cove- 
nant, and  conveyed  to 
all  such  as  worthily 
partake  of  them. 


8.  The  sacraments 
of  the  Church  are  not 
seals  of  a  covenant  be- 
tween the  Mediator 
and  the  Church,  but  of 
a  personal  covenant 
with  the  worthy  par- 
taker thereof,  and  sig- 
nificant rites  simply 
expressive  of  inward 
spiritual  blessings. 


8.  The  sacraments 
of  the  Church  are 
the  actual  channels 
through  which  grace  is 
conferred  when  admi- 
nistered by  such  as  are 
lawfully  authorized  by 
the  successors  of  the 
apostles  to  administer 
them. 


Nothing  more  is  needful  than  this  exhibit  of  the 
theories  side  by  side,  as  they  naturally  develop 
from  their  fundamental  idea  of  the  Church  seye- 
rally,  to  demonstrate,  on  the  one  hand,  what  has 
already  been  said  of  this  power  of  a  great  idea 
in  controlling  all  the  details  of  a  system,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  inevitable  confusion  in  the 
Church  that  must  flow  from  any  attempt  at  an 
eclecticism  which  shall  aim  to  gather  its  parts 
from  these  three  theories. 

§  3.  It  is  clear  that  Christ  has  left  little  room 
for  the  exercise  of  mere  human  ingenuities,  the 
dogmas  of  human  tradition,  or  the  suggestions  of 
human  expediency,  in  respect  to  the  order  and  or- 
dinances, any  more  than  in  respect  to  the  doctrinal 
creed,  of  the  Church.  Such  order  and  ordinances 
as  the  very  nature  of  the  Church  called  for,  and 


122  THE    CHURCH    OF   GOD 

because  such  as  the  nature  of  the  Church  called 
for,  were  ordained  from  the  first  as  to  their  sub- 
stance, and  as  to  their  form  modified  during  the 
progressive  steps  of  the  revelation,  under  the 
direct  administration  of  the  King  in  Zion,  and 
through  men  immediately  inspired,  until  their 
forms  were  fixed  and  left  to  be  permanent  at  the 
close  of  the  revelation.  Nor  is  it  easy  to  see, 
considering  the  essential  relation  of  the  Church  to 
the  revelation  itself,  even  as  a  fundamental  part 
of  it,  why  human  traditions,  expediencies,  or  inge- 
nuities should  be  competent  either  to  add  to  or 
take  away  from  the  doctrines  pertaining  to  the 
Church,  any  more  than  to  add  to  or  take  away 
from  any  other  of  the  things  written  in  this  Book. 
It  is  difficult  to  perceive  why  any  part  of  the 
Church  which  fails  in  conformity  to  the  scriptural 
pattern  of  the  Church  is  not  imperfect  and  in 
error,  just  as  much — no  more,  no  less — than  if  it 
fails  to  conform  in  its  creed  to  the  teachings  of 
Scripture  concerning  any  other  doctrine.  The 
tendency  of  our  times  to  underrate  the  importance 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  as  a-  King  and  the  great 
system  of  truths  that  belong  to  it,  in  comparison 
to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  as  a  Priest  and  the  great 
system  of  truths  that  belong  to  it,  seems  wholly 
arbitrary  and  out  of  harmony  with  the  spirit  of 
the  revealed  word,  which  certainly  gives  equal,  if 


AN  ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF    THE   GOSPEL.       123 

not  greater,  prominence  to  the  kingly  office  of  the 
Mediator  and  its  accompanying  truths. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  plain  that,  as 
the  affairs  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ  are 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  preclude  any  human  devices 
in  the  way  of  means  and  instrumentahties  for  ad- 
ministration, so  also  the  divinely  appointed 
agencies  for  the  administration  of  these  affairs 
preclude  the  idea  of  the  use  of  these  agencies 
and  the  power  accompanying  them  for  any  other 
purposes  than  the  one  great  purpose  of  the  king- 
dom itself.  The  officers,  the  ordinances,  the 
courts,  of  the  Church  have,  as  we  have  seen,  a 
very  definite  and  a  single  end  in  view, — viz. :  the 
evangelization  of  the  world,  and  the  calling  and 
gathering  out  of  it  the  elect  of  God.  Hence  the 
too  common  conception  of  the  Church  as  power 
to  be  used  directly  for  the  promotion  of  mere 
humanly  devised  reforms,  however  desirable  in 
themselves  considered,  and  important  to  men, 
as  men  and  citizens,  to  effect  such  reforms,  or 
the  conception,  of  the  ordinance  of  the  word 
preached  as  an  instrumentality  to  rectify  wrong 
public  opinion,  wrong  moral  views  of  social  and 
civil  affairs ;  or  the  conception  of  the  courts  of  the 
Church  as  agencies  through  which  to  reach  directly 
and  reform  civil  evils  and  to  arraign  the  State  on 
national  wrong-doing,  is  inconsistent  with  the  fun- 
damental nature  of  the  Church  itself,  and  must 


124  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

ultimately  work  out  only  confusion  and  corruption. 
This  kingdom,  in  its  administration,  contemplates 
men  only  in  relation  to  Jesus  the  Mediator.  It 
ignores  all  strifes  and  parties  of  the  kingdom  of 
Csesar.  It  knows  men  only  as  friends  or  enemies 
of  the  King,  and  knows  no  parties  but  the  parties 
of  Christ  and  of  Antichrist. 

§  4.  The  too  current  prejudice  against  the  doc- 
trine of  Church  government,  as  of  divine  warrant, 
as  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  the  Church,  and  ge- 
nerating a  narrow  sectarianism,  among  those  who 
yet  justify  at  the  same  time  the  greatest  ear- 
nestness for  the  doctrines  of  the  Creed  as  of 
Divine  Avarrant,  is  manifestly  founded  on  confused 
and  indistinct  views  of  the  teaching  of  Scripture 
concerning  the  Church.  If  it  is  true  that  Christ 
has  made  the  Church  an  essential  part  of  the  reve- 
lation of  himself, — that  the  Church  visible  is  but 
the  manifestation  of  the  great  ideal  body  for  which 
he  undertook  to  mediate,  and  the  instrumentality 
through  which  he  not  only  manifests  the  purpose, 
but  also  effects  it ;  then  surely  there  is  no  pro- 
priety in  thus  exalting  the  creed,  one  form  of  his 
revelation,  and  depreciating  the  Church,  another 
form  of  it.  The  true  secret  of  this  prejudice  is 
doubtless  the  outcry,  by  arrogant  zealots  for  the 
very  opposite  of  a  true  doctrine  of  Divine  warrant, 
of  "  The  Church !  the  Church !"  "  The  temple  of  the 
Lord  are  we."     They  have  been  regarded  as  the 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF    THE    GOSPEL.       125 

special  advocates  of  Divine  warrant  whose  aim 
has  been  to  exalt  human  traditions  as  sufficient 
w^arrant,  and  whose  High-Churchism,  popularly 
so  called,  was  simply  TF';'(9??Y7-Churchism,  ignoring 
or  setting  aside  the  very  first  and  most  funda- 
mental conceptions  of  the  Church  as  exhibited  in 
Scripture.  If  the  several  parts  of  the  structure 
of  the  visible  Church,  as  the  whole  structure 
itself,  constitute  a  portion  of  the  revelations  of 
Christ,  and  are  the  agencies  through  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  shall  carry  on  the  calHng,  the  re- 
creation and  edification  of  the  elect,  and  be  the 
testimony  against  the  reprobate,  then  zeal  for  that 
order,  whatever  it  be,  is  the  highest  wisdom,  and 
the  higher  the  Churchism  the  more  spiritual  the 
Church.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  grieve  the  Holy 
Ghost  when  men  adulterate  the  pure  doctrines  of 
the  creed  with  human  glosses,  shall  it  less  grieve 
the  Spirit  when  Christ's  own  appointed  ordinances 
and  agencies  are  supplanted  by  mere  human 
machinery  ? 

§  5.  A  clear  apprehension  of  the  divine  appoint- 
ment of  aU  that  pertains  to  the  Church  is  the 
surest  guarantee  for  earnest  spiritual  views  of  all 
that  pertains  to  the  administration  both  of  the 
ordinances,  the  government,  and  the  management 
of  the  affairs  of  the  Church.  Indeed,  with  these 
views,  not  only  will  the  ministry  of  the  word  and 
ordinances  assume  more  of  its  truly  spiritual  and 


126  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

unworldly  character  in  the  minds  both  of  minister 
and  people,  under  a  consciousness  of  the  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  also  the  courts  of  the 
Church  will  assume  more  of  their  peculiar  sacred- 
ness  as  courts  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  which  he  is  tho 
true  source  of  authority, — though  he  vouchsafe  to 
speak  through  feeble  men ;  within  which  his  Spirit 
moves  and  guides  to  right  conclusions,  and  by 
which,  as  his  own  chosen  instrumentality,  he  will 
bless  his  Church  just  as  really  as  by  the  ministra- 
tion of  the  word.  When  such  views  become  clear 
and  distinct  matters  of  consciousness  with  the 
members  of  the  Church  Sessions,  Presbyteries, 
Synods,  and  Assemblies,  then  shall  these  agencies 
of  the  Church  be  no  longer  felt  by  any  to  be  too 
secular  and  worldly  in  their  nature  to  admit  of 
high  spiritual  communion  with  the  Head  through 
them;  nor  any  longer  shall  the  spiritual  impulses 
of  the  Church  be  found  calling  for  other  assemblies 
of  the  office-bearers,  distinct  from  the  courts  of  the 
Church,  for  semi-official  conference  touching  spi- 
ritual affairs  of  the  kingdom  and  special  prayer  for 
revival. 

§  6.  The  providence  of  God  seems  clearly  to 
point  out  a  high  and  glorious  mission  to  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  this  country  in  these  last 
times, — even  the  carrying  on  to  its  completion  that 
development  of  the  idea  of  a  true  gospel  Church 
which  he  put  it   into  the  hearts  of  the  martyr 


AN   ESSENTIAL  ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      127 

fathers  of  Scotland  to  construct  for  his  glory,  as 
he  put  it  into  the  heart  of  David  to  build  his  tem- 
ple but   reserved  the  honour  of  the  actual  con- 
struction thereof  to  another  generation.     To  that 
noble  race  of  men, — too  great  and  noble  in  their 
rugged  grandeur  of  character  to  be  understood  by 
the  dilletantism  that,  in  his  just  anger,  he  per- 
mitted to  fall  upon  subsequent  generations  in  Bri- 
tain,— to  that  noble  race  it  was  given  to  see  and 
to  comprehend,  beyond  all  other  portions  of  the 
Reformed  Church,  those  great  constituent  truths 
which  underlie   the    spiritual   commonwealth   of 
Christ,  as  well  as  those  truths  also  which  underlie 
the  constitution  of  the  civil  commonwealth.     But 
it  was  not  given  them  in  his  providence  to  con- 
struct either  as  they  listed.     That  was  a  time  of 
peril,  and  it  seemed  to  human  vision  impossible 
that  the  Church  could  exist  without  the  aid  of, 
much  less  in  direct  conflict  with,  the  civil  power. 
It  was  the  day  of  the  wrath  of  Antichrist,  and  of 
his  power,  too,  with  all  Caesar's  legions  at  his 
back.     Was  it  wonderful,  then,  that  in  the  dark- 
ness  of   the   impending   storm  their   eyes  were 
holden,  that  they  did  not  penetrate  fully  the  mean- 
ing of  Jesus  when  he  declared,  "My  kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world :  if  so,  then  would  my  servants 
fight"?     Admitting   the   power  of  the    State  in 
spirituals  as  in  some  sort  co-ordinate  with  that  of 
the  Church  of  God;  in  order  to  buy  their  peace 

11 


128  THE    CHURCH   OF   GOD 

with  the  State  till  the  Lord  might  open  the  way 
before  them,  the  leaven  of  that  one  dangerous 
principle  worked  gradually  the  corruption  of  their 
pure  gospel  theory  of  the  Church.  The  truths 
so  clearly  enunciated  at  the  first  seemed  to  become 
obscured  to  the  eye  of  the  Church,  and  thus,  gra- 
dually, the  Church  of  the  Martyrs  degenerated 
into  the  Church  of  the  Moderates,  from  which,  as 
from  Babylon  of  old,  her  true  sons  had  at  last  to 
go  out. 

As  the  young  tree  exposed  to  the  bleak  storms 
on  the  hills,  by  unwise  tenderness  taken  and 
planted  beside  the  sunny  wall  for  shelter,  grows 
on  indeed,  but  grows  deformed  from  lack  of  space 
on  the  one  side  to  spread  its  boughs  in  due  pro- 
portion as  nature  would  have  it;  so  that  noble 
Church,  taken  from  the  storms  that  threatened  it 
to  shelter  beside  the  civil  power,  lost  the  beauty 
and  symmetry  of  the  first  era  of  its  growth.  Here, 
at  the  distance  of  centuries  of  time  and  an  ocean 
of  space,  is  found  planted  its  noblest  scion,  in  a 
free,  open  field,  to  develop  as  the  life  which  is  hid 
therein  may  lead  it.  Is  not  the  time  fully  come 
for  once  more  rallying  the  elect  of  God  under  the 
banner  of  Christ's  Crown  and  Covenant?  The  out- 
line of  the  great  doctrine  of  the  Church  here  pre- 
sented is  no  original  view  as  to  its  chief  matter 
and  substance,  but  an  attempt  to  set  forth,  in  their 
full  proportions  and  in  their  logical  relations,  that 


AN   ESSENTIAL   ELEMENT   OF   THE   GOSPEL.      129 

system  which  the  early  symbols  of  the  Scottish 
Church  held  forth  as  her  great  protest  against 
Antichrist.  For,  while  the  Churches  of  the  Con- 
tinent raised  the  voice  of  protestation  in  chief 
against  the  corruptions  of  the  Creed  and  of  the 
Ritual,  and  Scotland  joined  in  the  indignant  shout 
of  rebuke,  yet,  to  the  view  of  Scotland,  over  and 
above  all  the  abominations  of  the  Man  of  Sin  was 
his  impious  seizing  of  the  crown  of  the  Saviour, 
and  by  the  treason  annulling  his  covenant  with  his 
visible  elect  Church. 

§  7.  Simply  because  of  a  profound  conviction 
that  such  a  general  doctrine  of  the  Church  is  held 
forth  in  the  word  of  God;  that  all  that  pertains 
or  ought  to  pertain  to  the  Church  is  therein  set 
forth ;  that,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  nothing  can 
pertain  to  the  Church  save  what  is  found  in  the 
word;  and  because  also  of  alike  profound  convic- 
tion that  every  true  seeker  after  his  truth  may 
rely  on  the  promise  that  his  Spirit  will  guide  into 
all  truth, — has  this  occasion  been  taken  advantage 
of  for  gathering  and  giving  utterance  to  the  views 
here  presented.  That  the  presentation  of  them 
is  altogether  imperfect  and  unworthy  so  great  a 
theme ;  that  with  the  truth  much  that  is  erroneous 
has  incidentally  connected  itself;  that  even  what 
is  the  truth  of  God  in  this  discourse  will  fail  of  its 
adequate  impression  upon  the  understandings  and 
the  hearts  of  his  brethren  by  reason  of  the  feeble- 


130  THE   CHURCH   OF  GOD,  ETC. 

ness  with  which  it  is  stated, — the  author  need? 
not  the  criticisms  of  those  more  learned  and  able 
than  himself  to  make  him  sensible  of.  But,  having 
made  an  honest  attempt  at  an  exposition  of  the 
grounds  and  reasons  of  the  polity  and  ordinances 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  grateful  return  for 
her  marks  of  confidence  in  him  and  her  many 
kindnesses  towards  him,  as  well  as  in  gratitude 
for  the  amazing  mercy  of  her  Head  and  King, 
his  highest  ambition  will  have  been  attained,  and 
all  the  damages  of  criticism  more  than  repaired, 
if  by  this  attempt  he  may  be  the  instrument  of 
awakening  in  her  young  ministry  an  earnest  desire 
to  know  more  perfectly  the  truth  which  Christ 
himself  hath  revealed  concerning  his  Church,  and 
of  directing  their  attention  to  the  great  principle 
which  should  constitute  the  organon  of  this 
science, — viz. :  the  word  of  God,  the  whole  word 
of  God,  following  implicitly  as  far  as  it  goes,  and 
stopping  wherever  it  stops. 


APPENDIX 


ANE  SCHORT  SOMME 


OP   THE 


FIEST  BUII  OE  DISCIPLINE, 


OB   THB 


POLICIE  AND  DISCIPLINE   OF  THE   CHUECH; 


DRAWN   UP  BY 

MH.  JOHN  WINRAM,  MR.  JOHN  SPOTTISWOOD, 
JOHN  WILLOCK,  MR.  JOHN  DOUGLASSE, 
MR.  JOHN  ROW,  AND  JOHN  KNOX, 

AND 

PRESENTED  TO  THE  NOBILITIE  ANNO  1560,  AND  AFTERWARDS 
SUBSCRIBED  BY  THE  KIRK  AND  LORDS. 

FOR  THE  INSTRTJCnON  OF  MINISTERS  AND  REIDARIS 
IN  THAIR  OFFICE. 


**  According  to  all  that  I  shew  thee,  both  after  the  fashion  of  the  tabernacle,  and 
after  the  fiishion  of  all  the  ornaments  thereof,  even  so  shall  ye  make  it." 

EXOD.  XXV.  9. 


BOOKS  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


PBEViousLr  to  the  legal  establishment  of  the  Protestant  religion  in 
1560,  the  Book  of  Common  Order  used  by  the  English  Church  at 
Geneva  was  generally  followed  as  the  rule  of  worship  and  discipline 
by  the  Scots  Reformers ;  but  that  being  found  inadequate  to  the  re- 
gulation of  a  church  consisting  of  numerous  congregations,  a  Book  of 
Discipline  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  Church  was,  soon  after  that 
event,  urged  upon  the  Parliament  as  a  necessary  accompaniment  to 
the  legal  institution  of  the  National  Church.  Parliament,  however, 
was  dissolved  without  any  thing  being  done  on  this  subject.  But  the 
Reformed  clergy  persevered,  and  the  Privy-Council  were  induced  to 
grant  a  commission  to  five  ministers  to  frame  such  a  standard  of  ec- 
clesiastical government.  When  they  had  completed  their  task  on  29th 
May,  1560,  the  ''Book  of  Policy,"  or  "First  Book  of  Discipline,"  was 
submitted  to  the  General  Assembly,  by  whom  it  was  approved ;  and, 
though  not  formally  ratified  by  the  Council,  it  was  subscribed  by  a 
great  portion  of  the  members.  Many  of  them,  however,  were  op- 
posed to  it;  and  by  some  it  was  stigmatized  as  a  "devout  imagina- 
tion." The  "  First  Book  of  Discipline,"  therefore,  though  thus  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Church,  was  never  formally  and  fully  approved  by  the 
civil  authorities. 

After  many  commissions  and  conferences,  with  a  view  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  discipline  of  the  Church,  it  was  finally  agreed  on  by  the 
General  Assembly  in  1581,  and  registered  in  the  Acts  of  the  Kirk. 
The  Confession  of  Faith,  which  had  received  the  sanction  of  the  civil 
government,  was  also  declared  to  be  the  Confession  of  the  Professors 
of  the  Reformed  Doctrines  of  the  Church  of  Scotland. 

As  the  First  Book  of  Discipline  consists  in  large  part  of  details  of 
measures  of  reform  rather  than  a  concise  statement  of  principles,  it 
is  deemed  more  suitable  to  the  brief  limits,  as  also  to  the  purpose,  of 
this  Appendix  to  republish  the  "Schort  Somme"  of  the  book,  con- 
taining all  its  general  principles,  and  apparently  coeval  with  the 
symbol  of  which  it  is  an  abridgment. 

iv 


ANE   SCHORT   SOMME 


OP    THE 


FIRST   BUIK   OF  DISCIPLINE. 


I.  Doctrine. — The  word  of  God  onlie,  quhilk  is  the 
New  and  Auld  Testament,  sal  be  taught  in  everie  kirk 
within  this  realme,  and  all  contraire  doctrine  to  the 
same  sal  be  impugnit  and  utterlie  suppressit. 

We  affirme  that  to  be  contrarious  doctrine  to  the 
word,  that  man  has  inventit  and  imposed  upon  the  con- 
sciences of  men  be  lawis,  counsallis,  and  constitutions, 
without  the  expresse  command  of  Godis  word. 

Of  this  kynd  are  vowis  of  chastitie,  disgjsit  apparell, 
superstitious  observatioun  of  fasting  dayis,  difference  of 
meatis  for  conscience  saik,  prayer  for  the  dead,  calling 
upon  Sanctis,  with  sic  uther  inventiouns  of  men.  In  this 
rank  ar  holie  dayis  inventit  be  men,  sic  as  Christimes, 
Circumcision,  Epiphania,  Purificatioun,  and  utheris  fond 
feastis  of  our  ladie :  with  the  feastis  of  the  Apostillis, 
Martyris,  and  Virgins,  with  utheris  quhilk  we  judge 
utterlie  to  be  abolisheit  furth  of  this  realme,  because 
they  have  na  assurance  in  Godis  word.  All  maintein- 
aris  of  sic  abominatiouns  suld  be  punishit  with  the  civill 
sword. 

The  word  is  sufl5cient  for  our  salvation,  and  theirfoir 
all  thingis  neidfull  for  us  ar  conteinit  in  it.  The  Scrip- 
tures sal  be  red  in  privie  houses  for  removing  of  this 
gross  ignorance. 

V 


VI  FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.      * 

II.  Sacramentis. — The  sacramentis  of  necessltie  are 
joynit  with  the  word,  quhilk  are  twa  onlie, — baptisme 
and  the  tabill  of  the  Lord.  The  preaching  of  the  word 
man  preceid  the  ministratioun  of  the  sacramentis.  In 
the  dew  administratioun  of  the  sacramentis  all  things 
suld  be  done  according  to  the  word,  nothing  being  addit, 
nor  zit  diminisht.  The  sacramentis  suld  be  ministerit 
efter  the  order  of  the  Kirk  of  Geneva.  All  ceremoneis 
and  reittis  inventit  be  men  suld  be  abolisheit,  and  the 
sympill  word  followit  in  all  poyntis. 

The  ministratioun  of  the  sacramentis  in  na  wayis  suld 
be  gevin  him  in  quhais  mouth  God  has  not  put  the  word 
of  exhortatioun.  In  the  ministration  of  the  tabill  sum 
comfortabil  places  may  be  red  of  the  Scriptures. 

III.  Idolatrie. — All  kynd  of  idolatrie  and  monumen- 
tis  of  idolatrie  suld  be  abolishit,  sic  as  places  dedicat  to 
idolatrie  and  relickis.  Idolatrie  is  all  kynd  of  worship- 
ing of  God  not  conteinit  in  the  word,  as  the  mess,  invo- 
cation of  sainctis,  adoratioun  of  images,  and  all  uther 
sic  thingis  inventit  be  man. 

IV.  The  Ministrie. — No  man  suld  enter  in  the  mi- 
nistrie  without  ane  lawfuU  vocatioun.  The  lawfuU  voca- 
tioun  standeth  in  the  electioun  of  the  peopill,  examina- 
tioun  of  the  ministrie,  and  admissioun  be  thame  baith. 
The  extraordinar  vocatioun  has  ane  uther  considera- 
tione,  seing  it  is  wrocht  only  be  God  inwartlie  in  menis 
hartis. 

No  minister  suld  be  intrused  upon  any  particular  kirk 
without  thair  consent ;  bot  gif  ony  kirk  be  negligent  to 
elect,  than  the  superintendent  with  his  counsall  suld 
provide  ane  qualifeit  man  within  fortie  dayis. 

Nather  for  raritie  of  men,  necessity  of  teiching,  nor 
for  any  corruptione  of  time,  suld  unable  personis  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  ministrie.  Better  it  is  to  have  the  rowme 
vaikand  than  to  have  unqualifiet  personis,  to  the  sclan- 
der  of  the  ministrie  and  hurt  of  the  kirk.  In  the  raritie 
of  qualifiet  men  we  suld  call  unto  the  Lord,  that  he  of 


FIRST   BOOK   OF  DISCIPLINE.  vil 

his  gudnes  wald  send  forth  trew  laboreris  to  his  harvest : 
the  kirk  and  faithfull  magistrate  suld  compell  sic  as  have 
the  giftis  to  take  the  ofRce  of  teiching  upon  thame. 

^  We  sould  consider  first  quhidder  God  has  geven  the 
giftis  to  him  quhame  we  wald  choise :  for  God  callis  no 
man  to  the  ministrie  quhame  he  armes  not  with  neces- 
sarie  giftis. 

Personis  noted  with  infamy,  or  unabill  to  edifie  the 
kirk  be  helsome  doctrine,  or  of  ane  corrupt  judgment, 
suld  not  be  admittit  nor  zit  reteinit  in  the  ministrie;  the 
Princeis  pardon  nor  reconciliatioun  with  the  kirk  takis 
not  away  the  infamie  befoir  men :  thairfoir  public  edic- 
tis  suld  be  set  furth  in  all  places  quhair  the  persone  is 
knawin,  and  strait  charge  gevin  to  all  men  to  reveill 
gif  thay  knaw  ony  capital  cryme  committit  be  him,  or 
gif  he  be  sclanderous  in  his  life. 

Personis  proponed  be  the  kirk  sal  be  examinated  pub- 
licklie  be  the  superintendant  and  brethren  in  the  prin- 
cipal kirk  of  the  diocie  or  province.  Thay  sal  geif  pub- 
lick  declaratione  of  thair  giftis,  be  the  interpretationo 
of  sum  places  of  Scripture.  Thay  sal  be  examinated 
openlie  in  all  the  principall  poyntis  that  now  ar  in  con- 
troversie.  Quhen  thay  are  approvin  be  the  judgment 
of  the  brethren,  thay  suld  mak  sindrie  sermones  befoir 
thair  congregations  afoir  they  be  admittit. 

In  thair  admission,  the  ofiice  and  dewtie  of  ministeris 
and  peopill  sould  be  declarit  be  sum  godlie  and  learnit 
minister.  And  sua  publiclie  befoir  the  people  sould 
they  be  placeit  in  thair  kirk,  and  joinit  to  thair  flock  at 
the  desire  of  the  samin :  uther  ceremonies  except  fast- 
ing with  prayer,  sic  as  laying  on  of  hands,  we  judge  not 
necessair  in  the  institution  of  ministerie. 

Ministeris  sa  placeit  may  not  for  their  awin  plesure 
leve  thair  awin  kirkis,  nor  zit  thair  kirkis  refuse  thaim, 
without  sum  wechtie  causis  tryit  and  knawin :  but  the 
General  Assemblie  for  guid  causes  may  remove  minis- 
teris from  place  to  place  without  the  consent  of  the  par- 
ticular kirkis. 

Sic  as  ar  preichers  alreddie  placeit,  and  not  found 


Vlii  FIRST   BOOK   OF  DISCIPLINE. 

qualifiet  efter  this  forme  of  tryall,  sal  be  maid  reidaris : 
and  sa  for  no  sort  of  men  sal  this  rigour  of  examination 
be  omittit. 

V.  Reidaris.  —  Reidaris  are  bot  for  a  time,  till, 
through  reiding  of  the  Scriptures,  thay  may  come  to 
furder  knawledge  and  exerceis  of  the  kirk  in  exhorting 
and  explaining  of  the  Scriptures.  No  reider  sail  be 
admittit  within  twentie-ane  zeiris  of  age,  and  unless 
thair  be  ane  hope  that  be  reiding  he  sal  schortlie  com 
to  exhorting.  Reiders  fund  unabill,  efter  tua  zeiris'  ex- 
erceis, for  the  ministrie,  sould  be  removit,  and  uthers 
als  lang  put  in  thair  rowme. 

No  reider  sal  attempt  to  minister  the  sacramentis  un- 
till  he  be  abill  til  exhorte  and  perswad  be  helsum  doc- 
trine. Reideris  a  landwart  sal  teiche  the  zouth  of  the 
parochinis. 

Ministeris  and  reideris  sal  begin  evir  sum  buik  of  the 
Auld  or  New  Testament,  and  continow  upon  it  unto  the 
end ;  and  not  to  hip  from  place  to  place  as  the  Papistis  did. 

VI.  Provision  for  Ministeris. — The  ministeris*  sti- 
pend sould  be  moderated  that  nether  thei  have  occasion 
to  be  cairfull  for  the  warld,  nor  zit  wanton  nor  insolent 
onywise.  Thair  wyfis  and  children  sould  be  sustenit  not 
onlie  in  thair  time,  but  also  after  thair  death. 

VII.  Elderis  and  Deaconis. — Men  of  the  best  kna^w- 
ledge,  judgement,  and  conversatioun  sould  be  chosin 
for  elderis  and  deaconis.  Thair  election  sal  be  zearlie, 
quhair  it  may  be  convenientlie  observit.  How  the  vot- 
tis  and  suffrages  may  be  best  resavit  with  everie  manis 
fredome  in  votting,  we  leif  to  the  judgement  of  everie 
particular  kirk.  Thei  sal  be  publiclie  admittit,  and 
admonished  of  thair  office,  and  also  the  peopil  of  thair 
dutie  to  them,  at  thair  first  admission. 

Thair  office  is  to  assist  the  ministeris  in  thair  execu- 
tion of  discipline  in  all  grit  and  weightie  matteris.  The 
elderis  sal  watche  upon  all  menis  maneris,  religioun,  and 


FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  IX 

conversatioun,  that  ar  within  thair  charge :  correct  all 
licentious  leveris,  or  else  accuse  them  befoir  the  sessioun. 

Thei  sould  tak  heid  to  the  doctrine,  diligence,  and 
behavior  of  thair  minister  and  his  househald ;  and  gif 
neid  be,  admonishe  and  correcte  thame  accordinglie. 

It  is  undecent  for  ministeris  to  be  buirdit  in  ane  ail- 
house  or  taverne,  or  to  hant  mekil  the  court,  or  to  be 
occupiet  in  counsel  of  civill  affairis. 

The  office  of  deaconis  is  to  gadder  and  distribute  the 
almes  of  the  puire  according  to  the  directione  of  ses- 
sione.  The  deaconis  suld  assist  the  assemblie  in  judge- 
ment, and  may  reid  publiclie  gif  neid  requyris. 

Elderis  and  deaconis,  being  judges  of  uther  menis 
maneris,  man  with  thair  househald  leve  godlilie,  and  be 
subject  to  the  censure  of  kirk. 

It  is  not  necessair  to  appoynt  ane  publick  stipend  for 
elderis  and  deaconis,  seing  thei  ar  changed  zearlie,  and 
may  wait  upon  thair  awin  vocatioun  with  the  charge  of 
the  kirk. 

VIII.  Super intendentis.  —  The  necessitie,  nomina- 
tioun,  examination,  and  institution  of  superintendent's, 
ar  at  large  contenit  in  the  Bulk  of  Discipline,  and  in 
monie  thingis  doe  agrie  with  the  examinatioun  and 
admission  of  ministeris.  Principall  townis  sal  not  be 
spoilzeit  of  thair  ministers  to  be  appointed  superinten- 
dentis.  Superintendentis  ainis  admittit  sal  not  be 
changed  without  grit  causeis  and  considerationis. 

Superintendentis  sal  have  thair  awin  special  kirkis 
bcsyde  the  common  charge  of  utheris.  Thei  sal  not 
remaine  in  ane  place  untill  thair  kirkis  be  provydit  of 
ministeris  or  reideris.  Thei  sal  not  remaine  abone 
twentie  dayis  in  ane  place  in  thair  visitation  till  thei 
pass  throw  thair  boundis.  Thei  sal  preiche  themselfis 
thryce  in  the  weik  at  the  leist.  Quhan  thei  come  hame 
again  to  thair  awin  kirk,  thei  man  be  occupyit  in  preich- 
ing  and  edifieing  of  the  kirk :  thei  sal  not  remain  at 
thair  cheif  kirk  abone  thrie  or  four  monethis,  bot  sal 
pas  agane  to  thair  visitatioun. 

\2 


X  FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

In  thair  visitatioun  thei  sal  not  onlie  preiche,  but  als 
examine  the  doctrine,  life,  diligence,  and  behavior  of 
the  ministeris,  reideris,  elderis,  and  deaconis.  They  sal 
consider  the  ourder  of  the  kirk,  the  maneris  of  the 
peopil,  how  the  puire  ar  providit,  how  the  zouth  ar  in- 
structit,  how  the  discipline  and  policie  of  the  kirk  ar 
keipit,  how  heinous  and  horribil  crymis  ar  corrected. 
They  sal  admonish,  and  dress  thingis  out  of  ordour, 
with  thair  counsel  as  thei  may  best. 

Superintendentis  ar  subject  to  the  censure  and  cor- 
rection not  onlie  of  the  synodal  conventioun,  bot  alse 
of  thair  awin  kirk  and  uther  within  thair  jurisdictioun. 
Quhatsumevir  crime  deservis  correctione  or  depositione 
in  ony  uther  minister,  the  same  deservis  the  lyke  in  the 
superintendent. 

Thair  stipend  wald  be  considerit  and  augmentit 
abone  uther  ministeris,  be  reasone  of  thair  gritt 
charges  and  travell. 

IX.  Discipline. — As  no  common-welth  can  be  go- 
vernet  without  executione  of  gude  lawis,  na  mair  can 
the  kirk  be  reteined  in  puritie  without  discipline.  Dis- 
cipline standeth  in  the  correctione  of  these  thingis  that 
ar  contrarie  to  Goddis  law,  for  the  edefieing  of  the  kirk. 
All  estatis  within  the  realme  ar  subject  to  the  discipline 
of  the  kirk,  als  weil  reuleris  and  preicheris  as  the  com- 
mon peopill. 

In  secreit  and  privie  faultis  the  ordour  prescrived  be 
our  Maister  suld  be  observed,  quhairof  we  neid  not  to 
wryte  at  length,  seing  it  is  largelie  declared  in  the  Buik 
of  Excommunication.* 

Befoir  the  sentence  proceid,  labour  sould  be  takin 
with  the  giltie  be  his  freindis,  and  public  prayer  maid 
for  his  conversione  unto  God.  Quhen  all  is  done,  the 
minister  sould  ask  gif  ony  man  will  assuir  the  kirk  of 
his  obedience,  and  gif  ony  man  promeis,  than  the  sen- 

*  The  Book  of  Excommunication  was  written  in  the  year  1567 : 
so  this  Summary  was  not  written  till  some  time  after. 


FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XI 

tence  sal  stay  for  that  time.  Gif  efter  publick  pro- 
clameing  of  thair  namis  they  promeis  obedience,  that 
sould  be  declarit  to  the  kirk  quha  hard  their  former 
rebellione. 

The  sentence  being  ainis  pronounced,  na  member  of 
the  kirk  sould  have  companie  with  thame  under  pain  of 
exccmmunicatione,  except  sic  personis  as  ar  exemit  be 
the  law.  Thair  children  sould  not  be  resavit  to  bap- 
tisme  in  thair  name,  bot  be  sum  member  of  the  kirk 
quha  sal  promeis  for  the  children,  and  detaist  the  pa- 
rentis impietie. 

Comittaris  of  horribil  crymis  worthie  of  death,  gif 
the  civill  sword  spair  them,  thei  sould  be  halden  as  deid 
to  us,  and  cursed  in  their  factis. 

Gif  God  move  thair  hartis  to  repentance,  the  kirk 
cannot  deny  thame  conciliatione,  thair  repentance  being 
tryed  and  fund  trew.  Some  of  the  elderis  sould  resave 
sic  personis  publicklie  in  the  kirk  in  taken  of  reconci- 
liatione. 

X.  Mariage. — Personis  under  cuir  of  utheris  sal  not 
mary  without  thair  consent  lauchfullie  requyrit.  Quhen 
the  parentis  and  utheris  ar  hard  and  stubburn,  than  the 
kirk  and  magistratis  sould  enter  in  the  parentis  rowme, 
and  decerne  upone  the  equitie  of  the  caus  without  affec- 
tione.  The  kirk  and  magistrat  sal  not  sute  for  thame 
that  commit  furnicatioun  befoir  thay  sute  the  kirk. 

Promeises  of  bairnes  within  aige  ar  null,  except  thay 
be  ratifeit  efter  thay  cum  to  age. 

Band  of  mariage  suld  be  proclamit  upon  thrie  severall 
Sondayis,  to  tak  away  all  excuse  of  impediment. 

Commiteris  of  adulterie  suld  not  be  overseit  be  the 
kirk,  albeit  the  civil  sword  oversie  thame,  but  suld  be 
estimit  as  deid  and  excommunicate  in  thair  wickit  fact. 
Gif  sic  oflfendaris  desire  earnestlie  to  be  reconceilit  to 
the  kirk,  we  dar  not  refuse  thame,  nor  excommunicat 
them  quhame  God  has  brocht  to  repentance. 

The  pairtie  that  is  provin  to  be  innocent  suld  be  ad- 
mittit  to  mariage  againe.     As  for  the  pairtie  offending, 


Xil  FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

all  dout  of  manage  wald  be  removit  if  the  civil  sword 
wald  stryk  according  to  Godis  word. 

XI.  Policie. — Policie  is  an  exerceis  of  the  kirk  serv 
ing  for  instructioun  of  the  ignorant,  inflaming  of  the 
learnit  to  gritter  service,  and  for  reteining  of  the  kirk 
of  God  in  gude  ordor. 

Of  the  partis  of  policie  sum  ar  necessar,  and  sum  not 
necessar  absolutlie.  Necessar  is  the  trew  preiching  of 
the  word,  the  right  ministration  of  the  sacramentis,  the 
common  prayeris,  the  instructioun  of  the  zouth,  the 
support  of  the  puir,  and  the  punishment  of  vice.  Bot 
singing  of  psalmis,  certaine  dayis  of  the  conventionis  in 
the  weik,  thryse  or  twise  preiching  on  week-dayis,  cer- 
tain places  of  Scripture  to  be  red  quhen  thair  is  na  ser- 
mone,  with  sic  thingis,  ar  not  necessar. 

In  townes  we  requyre  everie  day  aither  sermon  or 
publick  prayeris,  with  sum  reiding  of  Scriptures.  Pub- 
lick  prayers  ar  not  neidfull  in  the  dayis  of  preiching, 
leist  thereby  we  suld  nurische  the  peopill  in  supersti- 
tioun,  causing  tham  understand  that  the  public  prayeris 
Bucceids  to  the  Papistical  messe.  In  everi  notabil  towne 
we  requyre  that  at  the  least  anis  in  the  weik  beside  the 
Sunday  the  haill  peopill  convene  to  the  preiching. 

The  Sunday  man  be  keipit  straitlie  in  all  townis,  baith 
befoir  none  and  efter,  for  heiring  of  the  word.  At  after- 
none  upon  the  Sunday  the  Catechisme  sal  be  taught,  the 
children  examinated,  and  the  baptisme  ministerit.  Pub- 
lick  prayeris  sal  be  usit  upon  the  Sunday,  als  weill  after 
none  as  befoir,  quhen  sermones  cannot  be  had. 

It  apperteinis  to  the  policie  of  everie  particular  kirk 
to  appoynt  the  time  quhen  the  sacramentis  sal  be 
ministerit. 

XIL  Baptisme. — Baptisme  may  be  ministerit  quhan- 
soever  the  word  is  preichit,  bot  we  think  it  maist  expe- 
dient that  it  be  ministerit  upon  Sunday,  or  upon  the 
day  of  common  prayeris.  Thus  we  tak  away  that  error 
of  the  Papistis  concerning  the  estait  of  the  infantis  de- 


FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XlU 

pairting  without  baptisme.  We  bring  the  ministratioun 
of  baptisme  to  the  presence  of  the  peopill,  to  be  keipit 
in  gritter  reverence,  and  to  put  everie  ane  in  remember- 
ance  of  the  promesis  of  baptisme,  in  the  quhilk  now 
mony  wax  faint  and  cauld. 

XIII.  The  Tabill— The  tabill  of  the  Lord  sal  be 
ministerit  foure  times  in  the  zeir,  and  out  of  the  times 
of  superstitione.  We  judge  the  first  Sunday  of  March, 
Junii,  September  and  December,  to  be  the  meitest.  Bot 
this  we  leve  to  the  judgement  of  the  particular  kirkis. 

Let  all  ministeris  be  mair  diligent  to  instruct  the  ig- 
norant and  to  suppress  superstitione,  than  to  serve  the 
vaine  appetytes  of  men.  The  ministratioun  of  the  tabill 
suld  never  be  without  scharp  examinatioun  ganging  be- 
foir ;  chiefly  of  thame  quhais  life,  ignorance,  or  reli- 
gioun  is  suspectit.  Quha  can  nocht  say  the  Lordis 
Praye]^,  the  Articles  of  the  Faith,  and  declare  the 
soume  of  the  Law,  suld  not  be  admittit.  Quhoso  will 
stubburnly  remaine  ignorant  of  the  principall  poyntis 
of  our  salvatioun  suld  be  excommunicat,  with  thair 
parentis  and  maisteris  that  keep  thame  in  that  igno- 
rance. Everie  maister  of  houshald  suld  be  commandit 
aither  to  instruct  his  children  and  servants,  or  cause 
thame  be  instructit;  and  gif  thay  will  not,  the  kirk 
suld  proceid  agains  thame. 

It  is  verie  neidfull  that  publick  examinatioun  of  everie 
persone  be  maid,  at  the  leist  anis  in  the  zeir,  be  the  mi- 
nisteris and  elderis. 

Everie  maister  and  maisteris  of  houshald  suld  cum 
with  thair  houshald  and  familie  to  give  confessioun  of 
thair  faith,  and  answer  to  the  principall  poyntis  of  our 
religioun. 

We  think  it  verie  expedient  that  prayeris  be  had 
dayly  in  privie  houses  at  morne  and  at  nicht  for  the 
confort  and  instructioun  of  utheris :  and  this  to  be  done 
be  the  maist  grave  and  discreit  persone  of  the  house. 

XIV.  The  Uxerceis. — In  townis  quhair  lernjt  men 

12* 


Xiv  FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

ar,  the  exerceis  of  the  Scriptures  suld  be  weeklie.  In 
this  exerceis  thre  onlie  sal  speik  to  the  opening  of  the 
text  and  edefeing  of  the  peopill.  This  exerceis  sal  be 
upon  some  places  of  Scripture,  and  openlie,  that  all  that 
"will  may  heir  and  speik  thair  judgment  to  the  edefeing 
of  the  kirk.  In  this  kynd  of  exerceis  the  text  is  onlie 
openit  without  any  digressing  or  exortation,  following 
the  file  and  dependance  of  the  text,  confuting  all  errors 
as  occasion  sal  be  geven.  Na  man  suld  move  a  questioun 
the  quhilk  himself  is  na  abill  to  solve. 

The  exerceis  being  endit,  the  ministeris  and  elderis 
present  suld  convene  apairt  and  correct  the  thingis  that 
hes  bein  done  or  spokin  without  ordor,  and  not  to  the 
edefeing  of  the  kirk.  In  this  public  exerceis  all  aJBTec- 
tatioun  and  vain  curiositie  man  be  abone  all  thingis  es- 
chewit,  leist  for  edefeing  we  suld  slander  the  kirk  of  God. 

Ministeris  within  sax  myles  about  suld  cum  in  wil- 
linglie,  and  also  reideris  that  wald  profeit  suld  cum 
baith  to  teich  uthers  and  to  lerne.  Uther  lernil  men, 
to  quhame  God  has  gevin  the  gift  of  interpretatioun, 
suld  be  chairgit  to  joyn  themselfis. 

XV.  SchuUs. — Because  schulis  ar  the  seid  of  the  mi- 
nistrie,  diligent  cair  suld  be  taken  over  thame  that  thay 
be  orderit  in  religioun  and  conversatioun  according  to 
the  word.  Everie  town  suld  have  ane  schule-maister, 
and  a  landwart  the  minister  or  reider  suld  teich  the 
childrein  that  cum  to  thame :  Men  suld  be  compellit  be 
the  kirk  and  magistratis  to  send  thair  bairnes  to  the 
schulis.     Pure  menis  childrein  suld  be  helpit. 

XVI.  Universities. — Thie  universities  suld  be  erectit 
in  this  realme,  Sanct  Andros,  Glasgow,  and  Aberdein : 
Thair  ordor  of  proceiding,  provision,  and  degreis,  with 
thair  reideris  and  officeris,  ar  at  length  declarit  in  the 
Bulk  of  Discipline ;  how  mony  collegis,  how  mony  class- 
es in  everie  college,  and  quhat  suld  be  taucht  in  everie 
class,  is  thair  expressit. 

A  contributioun  sal  be  maid  at  the   entrie  of  the 


FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  Xf 

studentis  for  the  uphalding  of  the  place :  And  ane  suffi- 
cient stipend  is  ordeinit  for  eyerie  member  of  the  uni- 
versitie  according  to  thair  degrie. 

XVII.  Rentis  of  the  Kirh. — The  haill  rentis  of  the 
kirk  abusit  in  Papistrie,  sal  be  referrit  againe  to  the 
kirk,  that  thairbe  the  ministrie,  schulis,  and  the  puir 
may  be  menteinit  within  this  realme  according  to  thair 
first  institutioun. 

Everie  man  suld  be  sufferit  to  leid  and  use  his  awin 
teithis,  and  nocht  man  suld  leid  ane  uther  manis 
teithis.  The  upermest  claithe,  the  cors-present,  the 
cleirk-meill,  the  pasche  offeringis,  teithe-ale,  and  haill 
uther  sic  thingis,  suld  be  dischargit. 

The  deaconis  suld  tak  up  the  haill  rentis  of  the  kirk, 
disponing  thame  to  the  ministrie,  the  schulis,  and  puir 
within  thair  bounds,  according  to  the  appointment  of 
the  kirk. 

All  Frearies,  Noneries,  Chantereis,  Chapelanreis, 
Annualrentis,  and  all  thingis  dotit  to  the  hospitalitie, 
sal  be  reducit  to  the  help  of  the  kirk.  Merchantis  and 
craftismen  in  burgh  suld  contribute  to  the  support  of 
the  kirk. 

XVI II.  Buriall. — We  desire  that  buriall  be  sa  ho- 
nourablie  handlit  that  the  hoip  of  our  resurrectioun  may 
be  nurischit;  and  all  kynd  of  superstitione,  idolatrie, 
and  quhatsumever  thing  proceideth  of  the  fals  opinione, 
may  be  avoided. 

At  the  buriall  nether  singing  of  psalmis  nor  reiding 
sal  be  usit,  leist  the  peopill  sould  be  nurischit  thairbe  in 
that  auld  superstitione  of  praying  for  the  deid:  But 
this  wo  remit  to  the  judgement  of  the  particular  kirkis 
with  advyce  of  the  ministeris.  All  superstitioun  being 
removit,  ministeris  sal  not  be  burdenit  with  funeral  ser- 
monis,  seing  that  daylie  sermonis  are  sufficient  aneuch 
for  ministering  of  the  living.  Buriall  sould  be  without 
the  kirk  in  ane  fine  air,  and  place  wallit  and  keipit 
honourabillie. 


XVI  FIRST   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

XIX.  Repairing  of  Kirhis. — The  kirk  dois  crave 
maist  earnestlie  the  Lordis  thair  assistance  for  hastie 
prepairing  of  all  paroch  kirkis,  quhair  the  peopill  suld 
convene  for  the  heiring  of  the  word  and  resaving  of  the 
sacramentis :  This  reparatioun  sould  not  onlie  be  in  the 
wallis  and  fabrick,  but  alse  in  all  thingis  neidfull  within, 
for  the  peopill  and  decencies  of  the  place  appoyntit  for 
Godis  service. 

XX.  Punishment  of  Profaneris  of  the  Sacramentis. 
— We  desire  strait  lawis  to  be  maid  for  punischment  of 
thame  that  abuse  the  sacramentis,  als  weill  the  minis- 
teris  as  reideris.  The  halie  sacramentis  ar  abusit  quhen 
the  minister  is  not  lauchfullie  callit,  or  quhen  thay  are 
gevin  to  opin  injurareis  of  the  treuth  or  to  profane 
leiveris ;  or  quhen  thay  ar  ministerit  in  an  privie  place 
without  the  word  preichit.  The  exempils  of  Scriptures 
do  plainlie  declair  that  the  abuseris  of  the  sacramentis, 
and  contemneris  of  the  word,  ar  worthie  of  deith. 

This  our  judgment  for  reformatioun  of  the  kirk  sal 
beir  witnes,  baith  befoir  God  and  man,  quhat  we  have 
cravit  of  the  nobilitie,  and  how  thay  have  obeyit  our 
leiving  admonitiounis. 

Thus  far  out  of  the  Bulk  of  Discipline  quhilk  was 
subscryvit  be  the  Kirk  and  Lordis. 


THE 

SECOND  EUIK  OF  DISCIPLINE, 

OR 

HEIDIS  AND  CONCLUSIONES 

•-  OP 

THE  POLICIE  OF  THE  KIEK, 

AGREED   UPON  IN  THE 

GENEEAL  ASSEMBLY,  1578; 

INSERTED  IN  THE  REGISTERS  OF  ASSEMBLY  1581 : 

JSworn  to  w  the  National  Covenant,  revived  and  ratified  hy  the  Assembly  1638, 
and  by  many  other  Acts  of  Assembly. 

AND  ACCORDING    TO   'WHIOfl 

IS  ESTABLISHED  EY  LAW,  AN.  1592  AND  1690. 


"  Let  all  things  be  done  honestly,  and  hy  order."— 1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 


N.B.— -This  copy  of  the  Second  Book  of  Discipline,  found  in  ''Com- 
pendium of  the  Laws  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,"  has  been  made  to 
conform  in  arrangement  and  in  sense  to  the  authenticated  copy  found 
in  the  Book  of  the  Universal  Kirk,  the  aim  being  to  combine  the 
accuracy  of  the  latter  with  the  more  modern  orthography  of  the 
firmer. 


THE 


SECOND  BUIK  OF  DISCIPLINE; 


OR 


HEIDIS   AND   CONCLUSIONES   OF   THE   POLICIE   OF 

THE   KIRK. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  Kirk   and   Policie    thereof    in  generall   and 
quherem  it  is  different  from  the  CinUl  PoUcx 


ne. 


1.  The  kirk  of  God  is  sumtymes  largelie  takin,  for 
all  them  that  professe  the  Evangill  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
so  It  is  a  company  and  fellowship  not  onely  of  the  godly 
but  also  of  hypocrites  professing  alwayis  outwardly  aiie 
true  religion.  *^ 

2.  Uther  tymes  it  is  takin  for  the  godlie  and  elect 
onlie, 

3.  And  sumtymes  for  them  that  exercise  the  spiritual 
tunction  amongis  the  congregation  of  them  that  professe 
the  truth.  ^ 

4.  The  kirke  in  this  last  sense  hes  a  certaine  power 
grantit  be  God,  according  to  the  quhilk  it  uses  a  proper 
jurisdiction  and  governement,  exerciseit  to  the  confort 
ot  the  hole  kirk. 

5.  This  power  ecclesiasticall  is  an  authoritie  grantit 
be  God  the  Father,  throw  the  Mediator  Jesus  Christ 
unto  his  kirk  gatherit,  and  having  the  ground  in  the 
word  of  God ;  to  be  put  in  execution  be  them,  unto 
quhom  the  spirituall  government  of  the  kirk  be  lawfull 
calling  is  committit. 

6.  The  policie  of  the  kirk  flowing  from  this  power,  is 


XX  SECOND   BOOK   OF  DISCIPLINE. 

an  order  or  forme  of  vspirituall  government,  quhilk  Is  ex- 
ercisit  be  the  members  appoyntit  thereto  be  the  word  of 
God:  And  therefore  is  gevin  immediatly  to  the  office- 
beararis,  be  quhom  it  is  exercisit  to  the  weile  of  the  hole 
bodie. 

7.  This  power  is  diverslie  usit :  For  sumtyme  it  is 
severally  exercisit,  chiefly  by  the  teacharis,  sumtyme 
conjunctly  be  mutuall  consent  of  them  that  beir  the 
office  and  charge,  efter  the  forme  of  judgement.  The 
former  is  commonly  callit  potestas  ordinis,  and  the  uther 
potestas  jurisdictionis. 

8.  These  two  kinds  of  power  have  both  one  authority, 
one  ground,  one  finall  cause,  but  are  different  in  the 
manner  and  forme  of  execution,  as  is  evident  be  the 
speiking  of  our  Master  in  the  16  and  18  of  Matthew. 

9.  This  power  and  policie  ecclesiasticall  is  different 
and  distinct  in  the  awin  nature  from  that  power  and 
policie  quhilk  is  callit  the  civill  power,  and  appertenis 
to  the  civill  government  of  the  common  welth :  Albeit 
they  be  both  of  God,  and  tend  to  one  end,  if  they  be 
rightlie  usit,  to  wit,  to  advance  the  glorie  of  God,  and 
to  have  godlie  and  gud  subjectis. 

10.  For  this  power  ecclesiasticall  flowes  immediatlie 
from  God,  and  the  Mediator  Jesus  Christ,  and  is  spiri- 
tuall,  not  having  a  temporall  heid  on  earth,  bot  onlie 
Christ,  the  onlie  spirituall  King  and  Governour  of  his 
kirk. 

11.  Therefore  this  power  and  policie  of  the  kirk 
sould  leane  upon  the  word  immediatlie,  as  the  onlie 
ground  thereof,  and  sould  be  tane  from  the  pure  foun- 
taines  of  the  Scriptures,  (the  kirk)  hearing  the  voyce 
of  Christ  the  onlie  spirituall  King,  and  being  rewlit  be 
his  lawes. 

12.  It  is  a  title  falslie  usurpit  be  Antichrist,  to  call 
himselfe  heid  of  the  kirk,  and  aucht  not  to  be  attribute 
to  angel  nor  man,  of  what  estait  that  ever  he  be,  saving 
to  Christ  the  onlie  Heid  and  Monarch  of  the  kirk. 

13.  It  is  proper  to  kings,  princes,  and  magistrates 
to  be  callit  lordis,  and  dominators  over  their  subjectis, 


SECOND    BOOK    OF    DISCIPLINE.  Xxi 

whom  they  govern  civilly,  hot  it  is  proper  to  Christ 
onlie  to  be  callit  Lord  and  Master  in  the  spiritual! 
government  of  the  kirk,  and  all  uthers  that  beiris  ofi&ce 
therein  aucht  not  to  usurp  dominion  therein,  nor  be 
callit  lordis,  bot  onlie  ministeris,  disciples,  and  ser- 
vantis.  For  it  is  Christis  proper  office  to  command 
and  rewll  his  kirk  universall,  and  every  particular  kirk, 
throw  his  Spirit  and  word,  be  the  ministrie  of  men. 

14.  Notwithstanding,  as  the  ministeris  and  uthers  of 
the  ecclesiasticall  estait  ar  subject  to  the  magistrat 
civill,  so  aucht  the  person  of  the  magistrat  be  subject  to 
the  kirk  spiritually,  and  in  ecclesiasticall  government. 

15.  And  the  exercise  of  both  these  jurisdictiones 
cannot  stand  in  one  person  ordinarlie. 

16.  The  civill  power  is  callit  the  power  of  the  sword, 
and  the  uther  the  power  of  the  keyes. 

17.  The  civill  power  sould  command  the  spiritual  to 
exercise  and  doe  their  office  according  to  the  word  of 
God:  The  spiritual  rewlaris  sould  requyre  the  Christian 
magistrate  to  minister  justice,  and  punish  vyce,  and  to 
maintaine  the  libertie  and  quietness  of  the  kirk  within 
their  boundis. 

18.  The  magistrate  commandes  externall  thingis  for 
externall  peace  and  quyetnes  amongis  the  subjects:  The 
minister  handles  externall  thingis  onlie  for  conscience 
cause. 

19.  The  magistrat  handles  externall  things  onlie,  and 
actions  done  befoir  men:  Bot  the  spiritual  rewlar  judges 
both  inward  aflfectionis  and  externall  actionis,  in  respect 
of  conscience,  be  the  word  of  God. 

20.  The  civill  magistrat  craves  and  gettis  obedience 
be  the  sword,  and  uther  externall  meanis :  Bot  the  mi- 
nistrie* be  the  spiritual  sword,  and  spirituall  meanis: 

21.  The  magistrat  neither  aucht  to  preich,  minister 
the  sacramentis,  nor  execute  the  censuris  of  the  kirk, 
nor  yet  prescryve  any  rewll  how  it  sould  be  done ;  bot 


*  The  copie  in  SpottisTVOod's  History  hath,  '<the  minister."   An  old 
manuscript  hath,  "  the  ministeris." 

13 


XXU  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

command  the  mlnisteris  to  observe  the  rewll  commandit 
in  the  word,  and  punish  the  transgressourls  be  civil! 
mcanes :  The  ministeris  exerce  not  the  civill  jurisdic- 
tioun,  bot  teich  the  magistrat  how  it  sould  be  exercit 
according  to  the  word. 

22.  The  magistrat  aucht  to  assist,  mentain  and  fortifie 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  kirk.  The  ministeris  sould  assist 
their  princes  in  all  thingis  agreiable  to  the  word,  pro- 
viding they  neglect  not  their  awin  charge  be  involving 
themselfis  in  civill  affairis. 

23.  Finally,  as  ministeris  are  subject  to  the  judge- 
ment and  punishment  of  the  magistrat  in  externall 
things,  if  they  offend :  So  aucht  the  magistratis  to  sub- 
mit themselfis  to  the  discipline  of  the  kirk,  gif  they 
transgresse  in  matteris  of  conscience  and  religioun. 

CHAPTER   11. 

Of  the  pairtes  of  the  Policie  of  the  Kirh^  and  Pei'sons 
or  Office-heiraris  to  whom  the  Administratioun  is 
committit. 

1.  As  in  the  civill  policie  the  haill  common  welth 
consistis  in  them  that  ar  governours  or  magistrates,  and 
them  that  ar  governit  or  subjects  :  So  in  the  policie  of 
the  kirk  sum  ar  appointit  to  be  rewlaris,  and  the  rest 
of  the  members  thereof  to  be  rewlit,  and  obey  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  and  inspiratioun  of  his  Spirit, 
alwayis  under  one  heid  and  chiefe  governour,  Jesus 
Christ. 

2.  Againe,  the  haill  policie  of  the  kirk  consisteth  in 
three  things,  viz.  in  doctrine,  discipline,  and  distribu- 
tion. With  doctrine  is  annexit  the  administratioun  of 
sacramentis. 

3.  And  according  to  the  pairtes  of  this  division, 
arisis  a  threfald  sort  of  office-beiraris  in  the  kirk,  to 
wit,  of  ministeris  or  preachers,  eldaris  or  governours, 
and  deaconis  or  distributeris. 

And  all  these  may  be  callit  be  ane  generall  word, 
ministers  of  the  kirk. 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXIU 

4.  For  albeit  the  kirk  of  God  be  rewlit  and  governit 
be  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  onlie  King,  Mi  Priest,  and 
Ileid  thereof,  yit  he  useis  the  ministry  of  men,  as  the 
most  necessar  middis*  for  this  purpose. 

5.  For  so  he  hes  from  tyme  to  tyme,  befoir  the  law, 
under  the  law,  and  in  the  tyme  of  the  Evangell,  for  our 
great  comfort  raisit  up  men  indewit  with  the  giftis  of 
his  Spreit,  for  the  spirituall  government  of  his  kirk,  ex- 
ercising be  them  his  awin  power,  throw  his  Spreit  and 
word  to  the  beilding  of  the  same. 

6.  And  to  take  away  all  occasion  of  tyrannic,  he 
willis  that  they  sould  rewl  with  mutuall  consent  of 
brother,  and  equality  of  power,  every  one  according  to 
thair  functiones. 

7.  In  the  New  Testament,  and  tyme  of  the  Evangell, 
he  hes  usit  the  ministry  of  the  apostles,  prophetis,  evan- 
gelistes,  pastouris  and  doctoris  in  the  administratioun 
of  the  word :  the  elderschip  for  gude  order,  and  admi- 
nistratioun of  discipline :  the  deaconschip  to  have  the 
cure  of  the  ecclesiasticall  gudis. 

8.  Sum  of  thir  ecclesiasticall  functiones  ar  ordinar, 
and  sum  extraordinar  or  temporarie. 

9.  There  be  three  extraordinary  functiones,  the  office 
of  the  apostle,  of  the  evangelist,  and  of  the  prophet, 
quhilkis  ar  not  perpetuall,  and  now  have  ceisit  in  the 
kirk  of  God,  except  quhen  it  pleasit  God  extraordinarly 
for  a  tyme  to  steir  sum  of  them  up  againe. 

10.  There  are  foure  ordinarie  functiones  or  offices  in  the 
kirk  of  God,  the  office  of  the  pastor,  minister  or  bishop ; 
the  doctor  ;  the  presbyter  or  eldar  ;  and  the  deacon. 

11.  Thir  offices  ar  ordinar,  and  aucht  to  continue  per- 
petually in  the  kirk,  as  necessar  for  the  government  and 
policie  of  the  same,  and  no  moe  offices  aucht  to  be  re- 
ceivit  or  sufferit  in  the  trew  kirk  of  God,  establishit  ac- 
cording to  his  word.f 

*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "as  maist  necessar  servandis  for  l;ig 
purpose." 

f  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "be  his  word." 


XXIV  BECOND   BOOK    OF    DISCIPLINE. 

12.  Therefore  all  the  ambitious  titles  inventit  in  tha 
kingdome  dP  antichrist,  and  in  his  usurpit  hierarchic, 
quhilkis  ar  not  of  ane  of  these  foure  sorts,  togither  with 
the  offices  depending  thereupon,  in  ane  word  aucht  all 
utterlie  to  be  rejectit. 

CHAPTER   III. 

How  the  Persones  that  heir  ^cclesiasticall  Functiones 
ar  admitted  to  thair  Office. 

1.  Vocation  or  calling  is  common  to  all  that  sould 
beir  office  within  the  kirk,  quhilk  is  a  lawfuU  way,  bo 
the  quhilk  qualifiet  persones  ar  promotit  to  any  spiri- 
tual office  within  the  kirk  of  God. 

2.  Without  this  lawful  calling  it  was  never  leisum  to 
any  person  to  medle  with  any  function  ecclesiasticall. 

3.  There  are  twa  sorts  of  calling,  ane  extraordinar  be 
God  himself  immediatelie,  as  war  of  the  prophetis  and 
apostiles,  quhilk  in  kirks  establishit  and  well  already 
reformit  lies  no  place. 

4.  The  uther  calling  is  ordinar,  quhilk  besydes  the 
calling  of  God,  and  inward  testimonie  of  a  gude  con- 
science, hes  the  lawfull  approbation  and  outward  judge- 
ment of  men,  according  to  Godis  word,  and  order  esta- 
blishit in  his  kirk. 

5.  Nane  aucht  to  presume  to  enter  in  any  office 
ecclesiasticall  without  he  have  this  testimony  of  a  good 
conscience  before  God,  who  only  knaws  the  hartis  of 
men. 

6.  This  ordinar  and  outward  calling  hes  twa  parts, 
election  and  ordination. 

7.  Election  is  the  chusing  out  of  a  person  or  persons 
maist  abile  to  the  office  that  vaikes,  be  the  judgement 
of  the  eldership  and  consent  of  the  congregation,  to 
whom  the  person  or  persons  beis  appointed. 

8.  The  qualities  in  gencrall  requisite  in  all  them  Avha 
Bould  beir  charge  in  the  kirk,  consist  in  soundness  of 
religion,  and  godlincs  of  lyfe,  according  as  they  ar  suffi- 
ciently set  furth  in  the  word. 


SECOND  BOOK  OF  DISCIPLINE.         XXV 

9.  In  this  ordinar  election*  it  is  to  be  eschewit,  that 
na  person  be  intrusit  in  ony  of  the  offices  of  the  kirk, 
contrar  to  the  will  of  the  congregation  to  whom  they  ar 
appointed,  or  without  the  voce  of  the  elderschip. 

10.  Nane  aucht  to  be  intrusit,  or  placeitf  in  the 
places  alreadie  plantit,  or  in  any  roume  that  vaikes  not, 
for  any  warldlie  respect :  and  that  quhilk  is  callit  the 
benefice  aucht  to  be  nothing  else,  but  the  stipend  of  the 
ministers  that  ar  lawfullie  callit.  | 

11.  Ordinatione  is  the  separatione  and  sanctifying  of 
the  persone  appointit  to  God  and  his  kirk5§  eftir  he  be 
Weill  tryit  and  fund  qualifiet. 

12.  The  ceremonies  of  ordinatione  are  fasting,  earnest 
prayer,  and  imposition  of  hands  of  the  elderschip. 

13.  All  thir,  as  they  must  be  raisit  up  be  God,  and 
be  him  made  able  for  the  wark  quhairto  they  ar  callit ; 
so  aucht  they  knaw  their  message  to  be  limitit  within 
God's  word,  without  the  quhilk  bounds  they  aucht  not 
to  passe. 

14.  All  thir  sould  tak  these  titils  and  names  onlie 
(leist  they  be  exaltit  and  puft  up  in  themselfis)  quhilk 
the  Scriptures  gevis  unto  them,  as  these  quhilks  import 
labour,  travell  and  wark ;  and  ar  names  of  offices,  and 
service,  and  not  of  idleness,  dignitie,  warldlie  honour  or 
preheminence,||  quhilk  be  Christ  our  Maister  is  expres- 
lie  reprovit  and  forbidden. 

15.  All  these  office-beararis  sould  have  their  awin 
particular  flockis  amongst  whom  they  exercise  their 
charge, 

16.  And  sould  mak  residence  with  them,  and  tak  the 


*  An  old  manuscript  and  some  printed  copies  have,  "in  the  order 
o    election." 

■f  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "or  enterit  in  the  places;"  the  copie 
■which  is  in  Spottiswood's  History,  "or  placed  in  the  ministry  in 
places." 

J  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "  callit  and  electit." 

I  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "be  God  and  his  kirk."  Spottiswood 
hath,  "by,"  &c. 

II  Some  copies  have,  "honour  or  warldlie  preferment," 

1.3* 


XXVI  SECOND    BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE. 

inspection  and  oversicht  of  them,  every  ane  in  his  voca- 
tion. 

17.  And  generallie  thir  twa  things  aucht  they  all  to 
respect,  the  glorie  of  God,  and  edifieing  of  his  kirk,  in 
discharging  their  dewties  in  their  callings. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  Office-heararis  in  particular^  and  first  of  the 
JPastoris  or  Ministeris. 

1.  Pastors,  bischops,  or  ministers,  ar  they  wha  are 
appointit  to  particular  congregationes,  quhilk  they  rewll 
be  the  word  of  God,  and  over  the  quhilk  they  watch. 
In  respect  whairof,  sumetyme  they  ar  callit  pastors,  be- 
caus  they  feid  their  congregation  ;  sumetyme  episcojji, 
or  bischops,  because  they  watch  over  their  flock ;  sume- 
tymes  ministers  be  reason  of  their  service  and  office ; 
and  sumetymes  also  presbyters  or  seniors,  for  the  gra- 
vity in  manners,  quhilk  they  aucht  to  have  in  taking 
cure  of  the  spiritual!  government,  quhilk  aucht  to  be 
most  deir  unto  them. 

2.  They  that  are  callit  unto  the  ministrie,  or  that 
offer  themselfis  thereunto,  aucht  not  to  be  electit  with- 
out ane  certain  flock  be  assignit  unto  them. 

3.  Na  man  aucht  to  ingyre  himselfe,  or  usurpe  this 
office  without  lawfull  calling. 

4.  They  that  ar  anis  callit  be  God,  and  dewlie  electit 
be  man,  eftir  that  they  have  anis  acceptit  the  charge  of 
the  ministrie,  may  not  leive  their  functions :  the  desert' 
ours  sould  be  adraonishit,  and  in  case  of  obstinacie  final- 
lie  excommunicate. 

5.  Na  pastor  may  leive  his  flock,  without  licence*  of 
the  provinciall  or  nationall  Assemblie,  quhilk  gif  he  do 
eftir  admonition  not  obeyit,  let  the  censures  of  the  kirk 
stryke  upon  him. 

6.  Unto  the  pastors  appertcinis  teaching  bf  the  word 
of  God,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  publio  ^je  and  pri- 

*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "advyce." 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXVll 

vatelle,  alwayes  travelling  to  edifie  and  discharge  his 
conscience,  as  God's  word  prescryves  to  him. 

7.  Unto  the  pastors  onlie  apperteins  the  administra- 
tion of  the  sacramentis,  in  lyke  manner  as  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  word :  for  baith  ar  appointit  be  God  as 
meanes  to  teach  us,  the  ane  be  the  ear,  and  the  uther  be 
the  eyes  and  uther  senses,  that  be  baith  knawledge  may 
be  transferrit  to  the  mynde. 

8.  It  apperteinis  be  the  same  reason  to  the  pastors  to 
pray  for  the  people,  and  namely  for  the  flock  committed 
to  his  charge,  and  to  blesse  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  who  will  not  suffer  the  blessings  of  his  faithful! 
servants  to  be  frustrat. 

9.  He  aucht  also  to  watch  over  the  manners  of  his 
flock,  that  the  better  he  may  apply  the  doctrine  to  them 
in  reprehending  the  dissolute  persons,  and  exhorting  the 
godlie  to  continue  in  the  feir  of  the  Lord. 

10.  It  apperteines  to  the  minister  eftir  lawfull  pro- 
ceiding*  be  the  elderschip,  to  pronunce  the  sentence 
of  binding  and  lowsing  upon  any  person,  according  unto 
the  power  of  the  keyes  grantit  unto  the  kirk. 

11.  It  belongs  to  him  lykewyse,  eftir  lawfull  proceid- 
ing  in  the  matter  be  the  elderschip,  to  solemnizatef 
mariage  betwixt  them  that  ar  to  bej  joynit  therein;  and 
to  pronounce  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  upon  them  that 
enter  in  that  holie  band  in  the  feir  of  God. 

12.  And  generallie  all  publick  denunciations  that  ar 
to  be  made  in  the  kirk  before  the  congregation,  con- 
cerning the  ecclesiasticall  affaires,  belong  to  the  office 
of  a  minister ;  for  he  is  as  a  messenger  and  herauld 
betwix  God  and  the  people  in  all  these  affairs. 

*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  '*it  apperteinis  to  the  minister  be  Islyi 
full  preconcluding  with  the  eldership,"  &c. 

f  "The  contract  of,"  in  Book  of  the  Universal  Kirk, 
j  "To  be"  is  omitted  in  Book  of  the  Universal  Kirk. 


XXVIU  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Of  Doctors  and  tliair  Office^  and  of  the  SchooUs. 

1.  Ane  of  the  twa  ordinar  and  perpetuall  functions 
that  travell  in  the  word,  is  the  office  of  the  Doctor,  quha 
also  may  be  callit  Prophet,  Bischop,  Elder,  Catechizar, 
that  is,  teicher  of  the  Catechisme,  and  rudiments  of 
religione. 

2.  His  office  is  to  open  up  the  mynde  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  the  Scriptures  simplie,  without  sic  applica- 
tions as  the  ministers  usis,  to  the  end  that  the  faithful! 
may  be  instructit,  and  sound  doctrine  teichit,  and  that 
the  purity  of  the  Gospell  be  not  corruptit  throw  igno- 
rance or  evill  opinions. 

3.  He  is  different  from  the  pastor  not  onely  in  name, 
but  in  diversity  of  gifts.  For  to  the  Doctor  is  gine  the 
word  of  knawledge,  to  open  up  be  simple  teiching  the 
mysteries  of  faith  ;  to  the  Pastor  the  gift  of  wisedome, 
to  apply  the  same  be  exhortation  to  the  manners  of  the 
flock,  as  occasion  craveth. 

4.  Under  the  name  and  office  of  a  Doctor,  we  com- 
prehend also  the  order  in  schooles,  colledges  and  uni- 
versities, quhilk  hes  bene  from  tyme  to  tyme  carefullie 
maintainit  als  weill  amang  the  Jewes  and  Christians  as 
amangs  the  prophane  nations. 

5.  The  Doctor  being  an  elder,  as  said  is,  sould  assist 
the  pastor  in  the  government  of  the  kirk,  and  concurre 
with  the  elders  his  brethren  in  all  assemblies ;  be  reason 
the  interpretation  of  the  word,  quhilk  is  onlie  judge  in 
ecclesiasticall  matters,  is  committit  to  his  charge. 

6.  Bot  to  preich  unto  the  people,  to  minister  the  sa- 
craments, and  to  celebrate  mariages,  perteines  not  to  the 
Doctor,  unlesse  he  be  utherwyse  callit  ordinarly ;  how- 
beit  the  pastor  may  teich  in  the  schoolis,  as  he  wha  hes 
also  the  gift  of  knawledge  oftentimes  meit  therefore,  as 
the  examples  of  Polycarpus  and  uthers  testifie. 


SECOND   BOOK  OF  DISCIPLINE.  XXlX 

CHAPTER  YI. 

Of  Elder Sy  and  their  Office, 

1.  The  word  Eldar  in  the  Scripture  sumetjme  is  the 
name  of  age,  sumetyme  of  office. 

2.  When  it  is  the  name  of  ane  office,  smnetyme  it  is 
taken  largely,  comprehending  als  weill  the  Pastors  and 
Doctors,  as  them  who  ar  callit  seniors  or  elders. 

3.  In  this  our  division,  we  call  these  elders,  whom  the 
Apostles  call  Presidents  or  governours. 

4.  Their  office  as  it  is  ordinar,  so  is  it  perpetuall,  and 
alwayes  necessar  in  the  kirk  of  God. 

5.  The  elderschip  is  a  spirituall  function,  as  is  the 
ministrie. 

6.  Eldaris  anis  lawfully  callit  to  the  office,  and  having 
gifts  of  God  meit  to  exercise  the  same,  may  not  leive  it 
again. 

7.  Albeit  sic  a  number  of  eldars  may  be  chosen  in 
certane  congregations,  that  aine  pairt  of  them  may  re- 
liefe  anuther  for  a  reasonable  space,  as  was  among  the 
Levites  under  the  law  in  serving  of  the  temple. 

8.  The  number  of  the  eldars  in  every  congregation 
cannot  weill  be  limitit,  but  sould  be  according  to  the 
bounds  and  necessitie  of  the  people. 

9.  It  is  not  necessar  that  all  elders  be  also  teichars 
of  the  word,  albeit  the  chief  audit  to  be  sic,*  and  swa 
ar  worthie  of  double  honour. 

10.  Yfhat  manner  of  persons  they  aucht  to  be,  we 
referre  it  to  the  expresse  word  of  God,  and  namely  the 
Canons  written  be  the  Apostle  Paul. 

11.  Their  office  is  als  weill  severallie  as  conjunctlie, 
to  watch  diligently  upon  the  flock  committit  to  their 
charge,  baith  publickly  and  privately,  that  na  corrup- 
tion of  religion  or  manners  enter  therein. 

12.  As  the  Pastors  and  Doctors  sould  be  diligent  in 

*  The  copie  in  Spottiswood's  History  and  several  manuscripts  have, 
"albeit  chiefly  they  aucht  to  be  sic." 


XXX  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

teiching  and  sawing  the  seid  of  the  word,  so  the  elders 
sould  be  cairfull  in  seiking  the  fruit  of  the  same  in  the 
people. 

13.  It  appcrteincs  to  them  to  assist  the  pastor  in  exa- 
mination of  them  that  cumis  to  the  Lord's  table:  Item, 
in  visiting  the  sick. 

14.  Thej  sould  cause  the  actes  of  the  Assemblies,  als 
Weill  particular  as  generall,  to  be  put  in  execution  caire- 
fullie.* 

15.  They  sould  be  diligent  in  admonishing  all  men 
of  their  dewtie  according  to  the  rewl  of  the  Evangell. 

16.  Things  that  they  cannot  correct  be  privat  ad- 
monitions, they  sould  bring  to  the  assemblie  of  the 
elderschip. 

17.  Their  principall  office  is  to  hald  assemblies  with 
the  pastors  and  doctors  who  ar  also  of  thair  number,  for 
establishing  of  gude  ordor,  and  execution  of  discipline. 
Unto  the  quhilks  assemblies  all  persones  ar  subject  that 
remain  within  thair  bounds. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Of  the  Eldarschips,  and  Assemblies,  and  Discipline. 

1.  Elderschips  and  assemblies  are  commonlie  con- 
stitute of  Pastors,  Doctors,  and  sic  as  we  commonlie 
call  Elders,  that  labour  not  in  the  word  and  doctrine, 
of  quhom,  and  of  whais  severall  power  hes  bene 
spokin. 

2.  Assemblies  ar  of  four  sortis.  For  aither  ar  they 
of  particular  kirks  and  congregations  ane  or  m.a,  or  of 
a  province,  or  of  ane  haill  nation,  or  of  all  and  divers 
nations  professing  one  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  All  the  ecclesiasticall  assemblies  have  power  to 
convene  lawfully  togidder  for  treating  of  things  con- 
cerning the  kirk,  and  perteining  to  thair  charge. 

4.  They  have  power  to  appoynt  tymes  and  places  to 


*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  **als  weill  particular,  as  provincial  or 
generall." 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXXI 

tliat  effect ;  and  at  ane  meiting  to  appojnt  the  dyet, 
time  and  place  for  anuther. 

5.  In  all  assemblies  ane  moderator  sould  be  chosen 
be  common  consent  of  the  haill  brethren  convenit,  who 
sould  propone  matters,  gather  the  votes,  and  cause  gude 
ordor  to  be  keipit  in  the  assemblies. 

6.  Diligence  sould  be  taken,  chiefly  be  the  moderator, 
that  onlie  ecclesiasticall  things  be  handlit  in  the  assem- 
blies, and  that  there  be  na  medling  with  ony  thing  p^!"- 
teining  to  the  civill  jurisdiction. 

7.  Every  assembly  hes  power  to  send  furth  from  them 
of  their  awin  number,  ane  or  moe  visitours,  to  sie  how  all 
things  beis  rewlit  in  the  bounds  of  thair  jurisdiction. 

8.  Visitation  of  mae  kirks  is  na  ordinar  office  eccle- 
siastick  in  the  person  of  ane  man,  naither  may  the  name 
of  a  Bischop  be  attribute  to  the  visitor  onlie,  naither 
is  it  necessar  to  abyde  alwayes  in  ane  man's  person,  but 
it  is  the  part  of  the  elderschip  to  send  out  qualifeit  per- 
sons to  visit  pro  re  nata. 

9.  The  finall  end  of  all  assemblies  is  first  to  keip  the 
religion  and  doctrine  in  pnritie,  without  error  and  cor- 
ruption. Next,  to  keip  cumelines  and  gude  ordor  in 
the  kirk. 

10.  For  this  orders  cause,  they  may  make  certane 
rew^ls  and  constitutions  apperteining  to  the  gude  beha- 
viour of  all  the  members  of  the  kirk  in  thair  vocation. 

11.  They  have  power  also  to  abrogate  and  abolish  all 
statutes  and  ordinances  concerning  ecclesiasticall  mat- 
ters that  are  found  noysome  and  unprofitable,  and  agrie 
not  with  the  tyme,  or  ar  abusit  be  the  people. 

12.  They  have  power  to  execute  ecclesiastical  disci- 
pline and  punishment  upon  all  transgressors,  and  proud 
contemners  of  the  gude  order  and  policie  of  the  kirk, 
and  swa  the  haill  discipline  is  in  thair  hands. 

13.  The  first  kynde  and  sort  of  assemblies,  although 
they  be  within  particular  congregations,  yet  they  exerce 
the  power,  authoritie,  and  jurisdiction  of  the  kirk  with 
mutuall  consent,  and  therefore  beir  sum  tyme  the  name 
of  the  kirk. 


XXxii  SECOND  'BOOK    OF    DISCIPLINE. 

14.  When  we  speik  of  the  elders  of  the  particular 
congregations,  we  mein  not  that  every  particular  parish 
kirk  can,  or  may  have  their  awin  particular  elderschips, 
specially  to  landwart,  bot  we  think  thrie  or  four,  mae  or 
fewar  particular  kirks,  may  have  ane  common  elderschip 
to  them  all,  to  judge  thair  ecclesiasticall  causes. 

15.  Albeit  this  is  meit  that  some  of  the  elders  be 
chosen  out  of  every  particular  congregation,  to  concurre 
wiTh  the  rest  of  their  brethren  in  the  common  assemblie, 
and  to  take  up  the  delations  of  offences  within  their  awin 
kirks,  and  bring  them  to  the  Assemblie. 

16.  This  we  gather  of  the  practise  of  the  primitive 
kirk,  where  elders  or  colleges  of  seniors  were  constitute 
in  cities  and  famous  places. 

17.  The  power  of  thir  particular  elderschips,  is  to 
use  diligent  labours  in  the  boundis  committit  to  thair 
charge,  that  the  kirks  be  kepit  in  gude  order,  to  inquire 
diligently  of  nauchtie  and  unruly  persons,  and  to  tra- 
vell  to  bring  them  in  the  way  againe,  aither  be  admoni- 
tion or  threatening  of  God's  judgements,  or  be  correc- 
tion. 

18.  It  pertaines  to  the  elderschip  to  take  held,  that 
the  word  of  God  be  purely  preichit  within  their  bounds, 
the  sacraments  rightly  ministrat,  the  discipline  rightly 
mantenit,  and  the  ecclesiasticall  gudes  uncorruplie'dis- 
tributit. 

19.  It  belangs  to  this  kynde  of  assembly,  to  cause 
the  ordinances  made  be  the  assemblies  provinciall,  na- 
tionall,  and  generall,  to  be  keipit,  and  put  in  execution. 

20.  To  mak  constitutions  quhilk  concerne  rb  7rpi-ov 
in  the  kirk,  for  the  decent  order  of  these  particular 
kirks*  where  they  governe  :  Provyding  they  alter  no 
rewls  made  by  the  general  or  provinciall  assemblies, 
and  that  they  mak  the  provinciall  assemblies  foresein 
of  these  rewls  that  they  sal  mak,  and  abolish  them  that 
tend  to  the  hurt  of  the  same. 

21.  It  hes  power  to  excommunicat  the  obstinat. 

*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  ''Paroch  kirks." 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXxiii 

22.  The  power  of  election  of  them  who  heir  ecclesl- 
asticall  charges,  perteines  to  this  kynde  of  assemblie, 
within  thair  awin  bounds,  being  well  erectit,  and  con- 
stitute of  many  pastors  and  elders  of  sufficient  abilitie. 

23.  Be  elderschip  is  meant  sic  as  are  constitute  of 
Pastouris,  Doctouris,  and  sic  as  now  ar  callit  Eldaris. 

24.  By  the  like  reason  their  deposition  also  perteins  to 
this  kynde  of  assemblie,  as  of  them  that  teich  erronious 
and  corrupt  doctrine ;  that  be  of  sclanderous  lyfe,' and 
eftir  admonition  desist  not ;  that  be  gine  to  schisme  or 
rebellion  against  the  kirke,  manifest  blasphemie,  simonie, 
corruption  of  brybes,  falsett,  perjurie,  whoredome,  thift, 
drunkennes,  feghting  worthy  of  punishment  be  the  law, 
usurie,  dancing,  infamie,  and  all  uthers  that  deserve  se- 
paration fra  the  kirk. 

25.  These  alsowho  are  fund  altogither  unsufficient  to 
execute  their  charge  sould  be  deposit.  Quhairof  uther 
kirks  wald  be  advertisit,  that  they  receive  not  the  per- 
sons deposit. 

^  26.  Yet  they  aucht  not  to  be  deposit,  wha  throw  age, 
sicknes,  or  uther  accidents,  become  unmeit  to  do  thair 
office ;  in  the  quhilk  case  their  honour  sould  remain  to 
them,  their  kirk  sould  mantein  them ;  and  uthers  aucht 
to  be  provedit  to  do  thair  office. 

27.  Provinciall  assemblies  we  call  lawful  conventions 
of  the  pastors,  doctors,  and  uther  eldaris  of  a  province, 
gatherit  for  the  common  affaires  of  the  kirkes  thereof, 
quhilk  also  may  be  callit  the  conference  of  the  kirk  and 
brethren. 

28.  Thir  assemblies  are  institute  for  weighty  mat- 
ters, necessar  to  be  intreatit  be  mutuall  consent  and 
assistance  of  the  brethren  within  that  province,  as  neid 
requyres. 

29.  This  assemblie  hes  power  to  handle,  order,  and 
redresse  all  things  ommittit  or  done  amisse  in  the  par- 
ticular assemblies. 

30.  It  hes  power  to  depose  the  office-beirers  of  that 
province  for  gude  and  just  causes  deserving  deprivation. 

31.  And  generallie   thir  assemblies   have   the   haill 

u 


XXXIV  SECOND   BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE. 

power  of  the  particular  elderschips  whairof  tliej  ar  col- 
lectit. 

32.  The  nationall  assemblie  quhilk  is  general!  to  us, 
is  a  lawfull  convention  of  the  haill  kirks  of  the  realm, 
or  nation,  where  it  is  usit  and  gatherit  for  the  common 
affaires  of  the  kirk ;  and  may  be  callit  the  generall 
eldership  of  the  haill  kirk  within  the  realme. 

33.  Nane  ar  subject  to  repaire  to  this  assemblie  to 
vote  bot  ecclesiasticall  persons  to  sic  a  number  as  shall 
be  thocht  gude  be  the  same  assemblie :  Not  excluding 
uther  persons  that  will  repaire  to  the  said  assemblie  to 
propone,  heir  and  reason. 

34.  This  assemblie  is  institute,  that  all  things  aither 
omittit,  or  done  amisse  in  the  provinciall  assemblies, 
may  be  redressit  and  handlit :  And  things  generally 
serving  for  the  weill  of  the  haill  bodie  of  the  kirk 
within  the  realme  may  be  foirsein,  intreatit,  and  set 
furth  to  Godis  glorie. 

35.  It  sould  tak  cair,  that  kirks  be  plantit  in  places 
quhair  they  are  not  plantit. 

36.  It  sould  prescryve  the  rewll  how  the  uther  twa 
kynds  of  assemblies  sould  proceid  in  all  things. 

37.  This  assemblie  sould  tak  heid,  that  the  spirituall 
jurisdiction  and  civill  be  not  confoundit  to  the  hurt  of 
the  kirk. 

38.  That  the  patrimonie  of  the  kirk  be  not  consumit* 
nor  abusit. 

39.  And  generallie  concerning  all  weighty  affaires 
that  concerne  the  weill  and  gude  order  of  the  haill 
kirks  of  the  realm,  it  aucht  to  interpone  authoritie 
thairto. 

40.  There  is  besydes  these,  an  uther  mair  generall 
kynde  of  assemblie,  quhilk  is  of  all  nations  and  estaits 
of  persons  within  the  kirk,  representing  the  universall 
kirk  of  Christ :  Quhilk  may  be  callit  properlie  the 
Generall  Assemblie  or  Generall  Oouncell  of  the  haill 
kirk  of  God. 

*  An  old  manuscript  hath,  <*  diminishit  or  *»busit." 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXXV 

41.  These  assemblies  were  appoyntit  and  callit  to- 
gether, specially  when  ony  great  schisme  or  contra- 
versie  in  doctrine  did  aryse  in  the  kirk,  and  were  con- 
vocat  at  command  of  godlie  emperours  being  for  the 
tyme,  for  avoiding  of  schismes  within  the  universal  kirk 
of  God :  Quhilk  because  they  apperteine  not  to  the 
particular  estait  of  ane  realme,  we  ceis  further  to  speik 
of  them. 

CHAPTER   YIII. 

Of  the  Deaconis  ayid  tliair  Office,  tlie  last  ordi7iar 
Function  in  the  Kirk. 

1.  The  word  dcdmvoQ  sumtymes  is  largely  takin,  com- 
prehending all  them  that  beir  office  in  the  ministrie  and 
spirituall  function  in  the  kirk. 

2.  Bot  now,  as  we  speik,  it  is  taken  only  for  them, 
unto  whom  the  collection  and  distribution  of  the  almes 
of  the  faithfuU  and  ecclesiasticall  gudes  does  belang. 

3.  The  office  of  the  deacons  sa  takin,  is  an  ordinar 
and  perpetuall  ecclesiasticall  function  in  the  kirk  of 
Christ. 

4.  Of  what  properties  and  dewties  he  oucht  to  be 
that  is  callit  to  this  function,  we  remit  it  to  the  mani- 
fest Scriptures. 

5.  The  deacon  aucht  to  be  callit  and  electit  as  the 
rest  of  the  spirituall  officers,  of  the  quilk  election  was 
spoken  befoir. 

6.  Thair  office  and  power  is  to  receave,  and  to  distri- 
bute the  haill  ecclesiasticall  gudes  unto  them  to  whom 
they  ar  appoyntit. 

7.  This  they  aucht  to  do  according  to  the  judgement, 
and  appoyntment  of  the  Presbyteries  or  elderschips,  (of 
the  quhilk  the  deacons  ar  not)  that  the  patrimonie  ot 
the  kirk  and  puir  be  not  convertit  to  privat  mens  usis, 
nor  wrangfuUie  distributit. 


XXXvi  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Of  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirh,  and  Distribution 

thairof, 

1.  Be  the  patrimonie  of  the  kirk  we  mein  whatsura- 
ever  thing  hath  bene  at  ony  tyme  before,  or  shall  be  in 
tymes  coming  gevin ;  or  be  consent  or  universall  cus- 
toms of  countries  professing  the  Christian  religion,  ap- 
plyit  to  the  publique  use  and  utilitie  of  the  kirk. 

2.  S"vva  that  under  the  patrimonie  we  comprehend  all 
things  gevin,  or  to  be  gevin  to  the  kirk  and  service  of 
God,  as  lands,  biggings,  possessions,  annual-rents,  and 
all  sic  lyke,  wherewith  the  kirk  is  dotit,  aither  be  dona- 
tions, foundations,  mortifications,  or  ony  uther  lawfull 
titles,  of  Kings,  Princes,  or  ony  persons  inferiour  to 
them ;  togither  with  the  continuall  oblations  of  the 
faithfull. 

3.  We  comprehend  also  all  sic  things  as  be  lawis  or 
custome,  or  use  of  countries,  hes  bene  applyit  to  the 
use  and  utilitie  of  the  kirk ;  of  the  quhilk  sort  ar 
teinds,  manses,  gleibs,  and  sic  lyke,  quhilks  be  common 
and  municipall  lawis  and  universall  custome  ar  possessit 
be  the  kirk. 

4.  To  tak  ony  of  this  patrimonie  be  unlawfull  meinis, 
and  convert  it  to  the  particular  and  profane  use  of  ony 
person,  we  hald  it  ane  detestable  sacriledge  befoir  God. 

5.  The  gudes  ecclesiasticall  aucht  to  be  collectit,  and 
dlstributit  be  the  deacons,  as  the  word  of  God  appoynts, 
that  they  who  beir  office  in  the  kirk  be  providit  for  with- 
out cair  or  solicitude. 

6.  In  the  apostolicall  kirk,  the  deacons  wer  appoj^ntit 
to  collect  and  distribute  quhatsumevir  was  collectit  of 
the  faithfull  to  distribute  unto  the  necessitie  of  the 
saincts ;  sa  that  nane  lackit  amang  the  faithfull. 

7.  These  collections  war  not  onlic  of  that  quhilk  was 
collectit  in  manner  of  almes,  as  sume  suppose ;  but  of 
uther  gudes,  moveable  and  unmoveable,  of  lands  and 


SECOND  BOOK   OF  DISCIPLINE.  XXXVU 

possessions,  the  price  quhairof  was  brocht  to  tlie  feit  of 
the  Apostles. 

8.  This  office  continuit  in  the  deacons  hands,  quha 
intromettit  with  the  haill  gudes  of  the  kirk,  ay  and 
whil  the  estate  therof  was  corruptit  be  Antichrist,  as 
the  ancient  canons  beir  witnes. 

9.  The  same  canons  mak  mention  of  ane  fourfald 
distribution  of  the  patrimonie  of  the  kirk,  quhairof  ane 
part  was  applyit  to  the  pastor  or  bischop  for  his  sus- 
tentation  and  hospitalitie ;  anuther  to  the  elders  and 
deacons,  and  all  the  clergie ;  the  third  to  the  puir, 
sick  persons  and  strangers ;  the  fourth  to  the  uphald  and 
uther  affaires  of  the  kirk,  speciallie  extraordinar ;  We 
adde  hereunto  the  schules  and  schuile-maisters  also, 
quhilk  audit  and  may  be  weill  susteinit  of  the  same 
gudes,  and  ar  comprehended  under  the  clergie.  To 
wham  we  joyn  also  clerks  of  assemblies  als  weill  par- 
ticular as  generall ;  syndicks  or  procutors  of  the  kirk 
affaires,  takers  up  of  psalmes,  and  sic  lyke  uther  ordi* 
nar  officers  of  the  kirk,  sa  far  as  they  ar  necessar. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Of  the  Office  of  a  Christian  Magistrat  in  the  Kirlc. 

1.  Altho«gh  all  the  members  of  the  kirk  be  halden 
every  ane  in  their  vocation,  and  according  therto  to 
advance  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  sa  far  as  lyis  in 
their  power ;  yit  chiefly  Christian  Princes,  and  uther 
magistrates,  ar  halden  to  do  the  same. 

2.  For  they  ar  callit  in  the  Scripture  nourishers  of 
the  kirk,  for  sameikle  as  be  them  it  is,  or  at  least  aucht 
to  be  manteinit,  fosterit,  uphalden,  and  defendit  agains 
all  that  wald  procure  the  hurt  thereof. 

3.  Sua  it  perteinis  to  the  office  of  a  Christian  magis- 
trat  to  assist  and  fortifie  the  godly  proceidings  of  the 
kirk  in  all  behalfes ;  and  namely  to  sie  that  the  publique 
estait  and  ministrie  thereof  be  manteinit  and  susteinit 
as  it  apperteins,  according  to  Godis  word. 

4.  To  sie  that  the  kirk  be  not  invadit  nor  hurt  be 

14* 


XXXVlll  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

false  teicliers  and  hyrelings,  nor  the  rowmes  therof  he 
occupyit  be  dumb  dogs,  or  idle  bellies. 

5.  To  assist  and  manteine  the  discipline  of  the  kirk ; 
and  punish  them  civilly,  that  will  not  obey  the  censure 
of  the  same,  without  confounding  alwayis  the  ane  juris- 
diction with  the  uther. 

6.  To  sie  that  sufficient  provision  be  made  for  the  mi- 
nistrie,  the  schules,  and  the  puir :  And  if  they  have  not 
sufficient  to  awaite  upon  their  charges,  to  supplie  their 
indigence  even  with  their  awin  rents,  if  neid  require. 
To  hald  hand  als  weill  to  the  saving  of  their  persons 
from  injurie  and  opin  violence ;  as  to  their  rents  and 
possessions,  that  they  be  not  defraudit,  robbit,  nor 
spuilziet  thereof. 

7.  Not  to  suffer  the  patrimony  of  the  kirk  to  be  ap- 
plyit  to  profane  and  unlawful  uses,  or  to  be  devorit  be 
idle  bellies,  and  sic  as  have  na  lawfull  function  in  the 
kirk,  to  the  hurt  of  the  ministry,  schules,  puire,  and  other 
godly  uses,  quhairupon  the  same  aucht  to  be  bestowit. 

8.  To  mak  lawis  and  constitutions  agreeable  to  God's 
word,  for  advancement  of  the  kirk,  and  policie  therof; 
without  usurping  ony  thing  that  perteins  not  to  the  civil 
sword,  bot  belungs  to  the  offices  that  ar  meirlie  ecclesi- 
asticall,  as  is  the  ministrie  of  the  word  and  sacramentis, 
using  of  ecclesiasticall  discipline,  and  the  apirituall  ex- 
ecution thereof,  or  ony  part  of  the  power  of  the  spiri- 
tuall  keyis,  quhilks  our  Maister  gave  to  the  Apostles, 
and  their  trew  successours. 

9.  And  although  Kings  and  Princes  that  be  godlie, 
sumtymes  be  their  awin  authority,  whan  the  kirk  is  cor- 
ruptit,  and  all  things  out  of  ordor,  place  ministers,  and 
restore  the  trew  service  of  the  Lord,  efter  the  examples 
of  sum  godly  kings  of  Juda,  and  divers  godly  Empe^ 
rours  and  Kings  also  in  the  licht  of  the  New  Testament ' 
Yit  quliair  the  ministrie  of  the  kirk  is  anes  lawfullie 
constitute,  and  they  that  are  placeit  do  thair  office  faith- 
fuUie,  all  godlie  princes  and  magistratis  aucht  to  heir 
and  obey  thair  voice,  and  reverence  the  majestie  of  the 
fcJon  of  Uod  speiking  be  them. 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  XXxix 


CHAPTER  XL 

Of  the  present  Abuses  remaining  in  tlie  Kirh,  quldllcs 
we  desyre  to  he  Reformit. 

1.  As  it  is  the  dewtie  of  the  godlie  magistrat  to  man- 
tern  the  present  libertie  quhilk  God  of  his  mercie  hes 
grantit  to  the  preaching  of  his  word,  and  the  trew  ad- 
ministration of  the  sacraments  within  this  realme :  sa  is 
it  to  provjde,  that  all  abuses  quhilks  as  jit  remaine  in 
the  kirk,  be  removit  and  utterly  takin  awaj. 

^  2.  Thairfoir  first  the  admission  of  men  to  Papisticall 
titles  of  benefices,  sic  as  serve  not,  nor  have  na  function 
in  the  reformit  kirk  of  Christ,  as  abbottis,  commenda- 
toris,_  prioris,  prioressis,  and  uther  titles  of  abbyis, 
quhais  places  are  now  for  the  maist  part  be  the  just 
judgement  of  God  demolishit  and  purgit  of  idolatrie,  is 
plamlie  abusion,  and  is  not  to  receive  the  kingdom'of 
Christ  amangs  us,  bot  rather  to  refuse  it. 

3.  Of  the  lyke  nature  ar  the  deanes,  archdeanes,  chan- 
ters, subchantors,  thesaurers,  chancellars,  and  uthers 
having  the  lyke  titles  flowing  from  the  Pape  and  canon 
law  onlie,  wha  heve  na  place  in  the  reformit  kirk. 

^  4.  Siclyke  that  they  that  of  auld  wer  callit  the  cha- 
piters and  convents  of  abbayis,  cathedrall  kirks,  and 
the  lyke  places,  serve  for  nathing  now,  bot  to  set  fewes 
and  tacks,  if  ony  thing  be  left  of  the  kirklands  and 
temds,  in  hurt  and  prejudice  thairof,  as  daily  experience 
teiches,  and  thairfoir  aucht  to  be  utterly  abrogat  and 
abolishit. 

5.  The  kirks  also  quhilks  ar  unitit  together,  and  joy- 
nit  be  annexation  to  thair  benefices,  aucht  to  be  separa- 
tit  and  dividit,  and  gine  to  qualifiet  ministers,  as  God's 
word  craves. 

6.  Neither  aucht  sic  abusers  of  the  kirk's  patrimony 
to  have  vote  in  Parliament,  nor  sit  in  councell  under  the 
name  of  the  kirk  and  kirk-men,  to  the  hurt  and  preju- 
dice of  the  libertie  thairof,  and  lawes  of  the  realm  made 
in  favouris  of  the  reformit  kirk. 


Xl  SECOND   BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE. 

7.  Melkle  less  is  it  lawfull,  that  ony  person  amang 
these  men  sould  have  fyve,  sax,  ten  or  twenty  kirks,  or 
mae,  all  having  the  charge  of  saules:*  and  bruik  the 
patrimonie  thairof,  either  be  admission  of  the  prince,  or 
of  the  kirk,  in  this  licht  of  the  Evangell ;  for  it  is  but 
mockage  to  crave  reformation  where  sic  lyke  hes  place. 

8.  fAnd  albeit  it  was  thocht  gude,  for  avoyding  of 
greater  inconvenientis,  that  the  auld  possessors  of  sic 
benefices  quha  had  imbracit  the  trew  religion,  suld  injoy 
be  permission  the  twa  pairt  of  the  rentis  quhilks  they 
possesst  of  befoir  induring  thair  lyfetyme :  Yit  it  is  not 
tolerabil  to  continew  in  the  lyke  abiise,  to  geve  thaise 
places  and  uthers  benefices  of  new  to  als  unmeit  men  or 
rather  unmeitar,  quha  ar  not  myndit  to  serve  in  the 
kirk,  hot  leif  an  idle  lyfe  as  uthers  did  quha  bruikit 
them  in  the  tyme  of  blindnes. 

9.  And  in  sa  farr  as  in  the  order  takin  at  Lcith  in 
the  zeir  of  our  Lord  1571,  it  appeires  that  sic  may  be 
admittit,  being  found  qualifiet ;  either  that  pretendit 
order  is  agains  all  gude  order,  or  else  it  must  be  under- 
stood not  of  them  that  be  qualifiet  in  worldly  aff"aires 
or  to  serve  in  court ;  bot  of  sic  as  are  qualifiet  to  teich 
Godis  word,  having  their  lawfull  admission  of  the  kirk. 

10.  As  to  Bischops,  if  the  name  sTTioxo-o^  be  properly 
takin,  they  ar  all  ane  with  the  ministers,  as  befoir  was 
declairit.  For  it  is  not  a  name  of  superioritie  and  lord- 
schip,  bot  of  ofiice  and  watching. 

11.  Yit  because  in  the  corruption  of  the  kirk,  this 
name  (as  uthers)  hes  bene  abusit,  and  yit  is  lykelie  to 
be ;   we  cannot   allow  the  fashion  of   thir  new  chosin 


^  The  copy  in  CaUlerwood's  History,  that  printed  anno  1621  in  4to, 
and  that  piiuteil  in  8vo,  anno  1G82,  have,  "all  craving  the  charge  of 
Bouls."  An  old  manuscript  hath,  "and  have  the  charge  of  tliair 
Baules,"  The  copy  in  Spottiswood's  History  hath,  "all  having  the 
cure  of  soules." 

f  This  paragraph  is  not  in  the  copy  which  is  in  Calderwood's  His- 
tory;  neither  is  it  in  the  copy  printed  in  4to,  anno  1G21,  nor  in  that 
printed  in  8vo,  anno  1682.  But  it  is  in  the  Church  registers  and  other 
manuscripts,  and  in  Spottiswood's  History. 


SECOND    BOOK    OF    DISCIPLINE.  xli 

bischops,  neither  of  the  chapiters  that  ar  electors  of 
them  to  sic  offices  as  thej  ar  chosen  to. 

12.  Trew  bischops  souhl  addict  themselves  to  ane 
particular  flock,  quhilk  sindry  of  them  refuses,  neither 
sould  they  usurpe  lordship  over  their  brethren  and  over 
the  inheritance  of  Christ,  as  these  men  doe. 

13.  Pastors,  in  sa  far  as  tliey  ar  pastors,  have  not  the 
office  of  visitation  of  mae  kirks  joynit  to  the  pastorship, 
"without  it  be  irine  them. 

14.  It  is  a  corruption,  that  bischops  sould  have  farder 
boundis  to  visit,  nor  they  may  lawfuUie.* 

15.  Na  man  aucht  to  have  the  office  of  visitation,  bot 
he  that  is  lawfully  chosin  be  the  Presbytrie  thereunto. 

16.  The  elderschips  being  well  establishit,  have  power 
to  send  out  visitors  ane  or  mae,  with  commision  to  visit 
the  bounds  within  thair  elderschip  :  And  siclyke  eftir 
compt  takin  of  them,  either  continew  them,  or  remove 
them  from  tyme  to  tyme,  to  the  quhilks  elderschips  they 
shall  be  alwayes  subject. 

17.  The  criminall  jurisdiction  joint  inf  the  person  of 
a  pastor,  is  a  corruption. 

18.  It  agries  not  with  the  word  of  God  that  bischops 
sould  be  pastors  of  pastors,  pastors  of  monie  flocks ; 
and  yit  without  ane  certaine  flock,  and  without  ordinar 
teiching. 

19.  It  agries  not  with  the  Scriptures,  that  they  sould 
be  exemit  fra  the  correction  of  their  brethren,  and  dis- 
cipline of  the  particular  elderschip  of  the  kirk,  where 
they  shall  serve ;  neither  that  they  usurpe  the  office  of 
visitation  of  uther  kirks,  nor  ony  uther  function  besyde 
uther  ministers,  bot  sa  far  as  sail  be  committit  to  them 
be  the  kirk. 

20.  Heirfoir  we  desyre  the  bischops  that  now  ar, 
either  to  agrie  to  that  order  that  God's  word  requyres 

*  The  copy  in  Spottiswood's  History  hath,  "than  they  may  conve- 
niently overtake." 

I  The  copy  printed  in  8vo,  anno  1682,  which  is  said  to  have  beea 
printed  from  the  Presbytery  Book  of  Haddiugtoun,  hath,  "  civil  juris- 
diction." 


Xlii  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

in  them,  as  the  generall  kirk  will  prescryve  unto  them 
not  passing  that  bounds  either  in  ecclesiasticall  or  civill 
affaires,  or  else  to  be  deposit  fra  all  function  in  the 
kirk, 

21.  AVe  deny  not  in  the  mein  tyme,  bot  ministers  may 
and  sould  assist  their  Princes  when  they  are  requyrit,  in 
all  things  agreiable  to  the  word,  quhither  it  be  in  Coun- 
cell  or  Parliament,  or  utherwayis,  provyding  alwayis  they 
neither  neglect  their  awin  charge,  nor  throw  flatterie  of 
Princes,  hurt  the  publick  estait  of  the  kirk. 

22.  Bot  generallie,  we  say  no  person,  under  what- 
sumever  title  of  the  kirk,  and  specially  the  abusit  titles 
in  Papistrie,  of  Prelates,  Convents,  and  Chapters,  aucht 
to  attempt  ony  act  in  the  kirks  name,  either  in  Councell 
or  Parliament,  or  out  of  Councell,  having  na  commission 
of  the  reformit  kirk  within  this  realme. 

23.  And  be  act  of  Parliament  it  is  providit,  that  the 
Papisticall  kirk  and  jurisdiction  sould  have  na  place 
within  the  same,  and  na  bischop  nor  uther  prelate  in 
tymes  cuming  sould  use  ony  jurisdiction  flowing  from 
his  authoritie. 

24.  And  again,  that  na  uther  ecclesiasticall  jurisdic- 
tion sould  be  acknawledged  within  this  realm,  bot  that 
quhilk  is,  and  shall  be  in  the  reformit  kirk,  and  flowing 
therefra. 

25.  Sa  we  esteim  balding  of  chapiters  in  Papisticall 
manner,  aither  in  cathedrall  kirks,  abbayis,  colledges, 
or  uther  conventuall  places,  usurping  the  name  and 
authoritie  of  the  kirk,  to  hurt  the  patrimonie  thairof,  or 
use  ony  uther  act  to  the  prejudice  of  the  same,  sen  the 
zeir  of  our  Lord  1560,  to  be  abusion  and  corruption, 
contrar  to  the  libertie  of  the  trew  kirk  and  lawis  of  the 
realme,  and  thairfoir  aucht  to  be  annuUit,  reducit,  and 
in  all  tyme  cuming  all  utterlie  dischargit. 

26.  The  dependances  also  of  the  Papisticall  jurisdic- 
tion ar  to  be  abolishit,  of  the  quhilk  sort  is  the  minglit 
jurisdiction  of  the  commissars,  in  sa  far  as  they  meddle 
with  ecclesiasticall  matters,  and  have  na  commission  of 
the  kirk  thairto,  but  wer  erectit  in  tyme  of  our  Sove- 


SECOND   BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE.  xliii 

ralgnis  mother,  whan  things  wer  out  of  order.  It  is  an 
absurd  thing  that  sindry  of  them,  having  na  function  of 
the  kirk,  sould  be  judgis  to  ministers,  and  depose  them 
from  their  roumis.  Thairfoir  they  either  wald  be  dis- 
chargit  to  medle  with  ecclesiasticall  matters,  or  it  wald 
be  limitit  to  them  in  quhat  matters  they  might  be 
judges,  and  not  hurt  the  libertie  of  the  kirk. 

27.  They  also  that  befoir  wer  of  the  ecclesiasticall 
estait  in  the  Papis  kirk,  or  that  ar  admittit  of  new  to 
the  Papisticall  titles,  and  now  ar  tollerat  be  the  lawes 
of  the  realme  to  possess  the  twa  pairt  of  thair  ecclesi- 
asticall rents,  audit  not  to  have  ony  farther  libertie  bot 
to  intromet  with  the  portion  assignit  and  grantit  to 
them  for  thair  lyfetimes :  And  not,  under  the  abusit 
titles  quhiiks  they  had,  to  dispone  the  kirk  rentis,  set 
tackes  and  fewes  thairof  at  thair  pleisure,  to  the  grit 
hurt  of  the  kirk,  and  puir  lawbourers  that  dwell  upon 
the  kirk-lands,  contrar  to  all  good  conscience  and  order. 

CHAPTER   XII. 

Certain  speciall  Heids  of  Reformation  quTiilk  we  crave, 

1.  Quhatsumever  hes  bene  spokin  of  the  offices  of  the 
kirk,  the  severall  power  of  the  office-beirars,  their  con- 
junct power  also,  and  last  of  the  patrimonie  of  the  kirk; 
we  understand  it  to  be  the  right  reformation,  which  God 
craves  at  our  hands,  that  the  kirk  be  orderit  according 
thairto,  as  with  that  order  quhilk  is  most  agreeable  to 
the  word. 

2.  Bot  because  sumthing  wald  be  touched  in  parti- 
cular, concerning  the  estait  of  the  countrey,  and  that 
quhilk  we  principally  seik  to  be  reformit  in  the  same, 
we  have  collectit  them  in  thir  heids  following. 

3.  Eirst,  Seeing  the  haill  countrey  is  dividit  in  pro- 
vinces, and  thir  provinces  again  are  dividit  in  parishes, 
als  Weill  in  landwart  as  in  townes ;  in  every  parish  and 
reasonable  congregation  there  wald  be  placit  ane  or  mae 
pastors  to  feid  the  flock,  and  no  pastor  or  minister  al- 


Xliv  SECOND    BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE. 

"Wales  to  be  burclenit  with  tlie  particular  charge  of  mae 
kirks  or  flockes  than  ane  alanerly. 

4.  And  because  it  will  be  thocht  hard  to  finde  out 
pastors  or  ministers  to  all  the  paroch  kirks  of  the 
realm,  als  well  in  landwart  as  in  townes,  we  think  be 
the  advice  of  sic,  as  commission  may  be  gine  to  be  the 
kirk  and  prince,  parishes  in  landwart  or  small  villages, 
may  be  joyned  twa  or  three  or  mae,  in  sum  places  to- 
gether, and  the  principall  and  maist  commodious  kirks, 
to  stand,  and  be  repairit  sufficiently,  and  qualifiit  minis- 
ters placit  thereat;  and  the  uther  kirks,  quhilk  ar  not 
fund  necessar,  may  be  sufferit  to  decay,  their  kirk- 
yards  alwaies  beand  kept  for  buriall  places :  And  in 
sume  places  where  neid  requyres  ane  parish,  where  the 
congregation  is  owir  great  for  ane  kirk,  may  be  dividit 
in  twa  or  mae. 

5.  Doctors  wald  be  appointit  in  universities,  colledges, 
and  in  uther  places  neidfull,  and  sufficiently  provided 
for ;  to  opin  up  the  meining  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to 
have  the  charge  of  schules,  and  teich  the  rudiments  of 
religion. 

6.  As  for  elders,  there  waldbe  sume  to  be  censurers 
of  the  manners  of  the  people,  ane  or  mae  in  every  con- 
gregation ;  bot  not  an  assembly  of  eldars  in  every  j^ar- 
ticular  kirk,  bot  only  in  townes  and  famous  places 
quhere  resort  of  men  of  judgement  and  habilitie  to  that 
effect  may  be  had, 

7.  Quhere  the  eldars  of  the  particular  kirks  about 
may  convene  together,  and  have  a  common  eldership 
and  assembly  place  amang  them,  to  treat  of  all  things 
that  concernes  the  congregations  of  which  they  have 
the  oversicht. 

8.  And  as  there  ought  to  be  men  appointit  to  unite 
and  divyde  the  parishes,  as  necessity  and  commodity 
requyres :  Sa  wald  there  be  appointit  be  the  generall 
kirk,  with  advyce*  of  the  prince,  sic  men  as  feir  God, 
and  knaw  the  estait  of  the  countries,  that  were  able  to 


*  Some  copies  have,  "assent." 


SECOND   BOOK    OF   DISCIPLINE.  xlv 

nominate  and  desyne  the  places,  quhere  the  particu- 
lar elderships  should  convene,  taking  consideration  of 
the  diocesses  as  they  were  dividit  of  auld,  and  of  the 
estait  of  the  countries  and  provinces  of  the  realme. 

9.  Lykewise  concerning  provinciall  and  synodall  as- 
semblies, consideration  wer  easie  to  be  taken,  how 
mony  and  in  quhat  places  they  were  to  be  halden,  and 
how  oft  they  sould  convene,  audit  to  be  referrit  to  the 
libertie  of  the  general  kirk,  and  order  to  be  appo^mtit 
therein. 

10.  The  nationall  assemblies  of  this  countrey,  callit 
commonlie  the  Generall  Assemblies,  audit  alwayes  to 
be  reteinit  in  their  awin  libertie,  and  have  their  awin 
place,  with  power  to  the  kirk  to  appoynt  tymes  and 
places  convenient  for  the  same. 

11.  And  all  men,  als  weill  magistrats  as  inferiours,  to 
be  subject  to  the  judgement  of  the  same  in  ecclesiasti- 
call  causes,  without  any  reclamation  or  appellation  to 
ony  judge,  civill  or  ecclesiasticall,  within  the  realm. 

12.  The  libertie  of  the  election  of  persons  callit  to 
the  ecclesiasticall  functions,  and  observit  without  in- 
terruption swa  lang  as  the  kirk  was  not  corruptit  be 
Antichrist,  we  desyre  to  be  restorit  and  reteinit  within 
this  realm. 

13.  Swa  that  nane  be  intrusit  upon  ony  congregation, 
either  be  the  prince  or  ony  inferiour  person,  without 
lawfull  election  and  the  assent  of  the  people  owir  quhain 
the  person  is  placit ;  as  the  practise  of  the  apostolical 
and  primitive  kirk  and  gude  order  craves. 

14.  And  because  this  order,  quhilk  God's  word  craves, 
cannot  stand  with  patronages  and  presentation  to  bene- 
fices usit  in  the  Paipes  kirk :  We  desyre  all  them  that 
trewlie  feir  God  earnestly  to  consider,  that  for  swa  meikle 
as  the  names  of  patronages  and  benefices,  togither  with 
the  effect  thairof,  have  flowit  fra  the  Paip  and  corruption 
of  the  canon  law  only,  in  sa  far  as  thereby  ony  person 
was  intrusit  or  placit  owir  kirks  having  cui^am  anima- 
rum.  And  for  swa  meikle  as  that  manner  of  proceed- 
ing hcs  na  ground  in  the  word  of  God,  but  is  contrar  to 

15 


Xlvi  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 

the  same,  and  to  the  said  libertie  of  election,  they  auchfc 
not  now  to  have  place  in  this  licht  of  reformation.  And 
therefore  quhasumever  will  embrace  God's  word,  and  de- 
syre  the  kingdome  of  his  Son  Christ  Jesus  to  be  advan- 
cit,  they  will  also  embrace,  and  receive  that  policie  and 
order  quhilk  the  word  of  God,  and  upright  estait  of  his 
kirk  craves,  otherwise  it  is  in  vaine  that  they  have  pro- 
fcst  the  same. 

Notwithstanding  as  concerning  uther  patronages  of 
benefices  that  have  not  curam  animarum,  as  they 
speak :  Such  as  ar  chaplanries,  prebendaries  foundit 
upon  temporall  lands,  annuals,  and  sic  lyke,  may  be  re- 
servit  unto  the  ancient  patrones,  to  dispone  thairupon, 
quhan  they  vaike,  to  schulis  and  bursars,  as  they  are 
requyrit  be  act  of  Parliament.* 

15.  As  for  the  kirk  rents  in  generall,  we  desyre  that 
order  be  admittit  and  mentainit  amangis  us,  that  may 
stand  with  the  sinceritie  of  God's  word,  and  practise  of 
the  purity  of  the  kirk  of  Christ. 

16.  To  wit,  that  as  was  before  spoken,  the  haill  rent 
and  patrimonie  of  the  kirk,  exceptand  the  small  patron- 
ages before  mentionat,  may  be  dividit  in  four  portions : 
Ane  thereof  to  be  assignit  to  the  pastor  for  his  inter- 
tainment  and  hospitalitie :  An  uther  to  the  eldars,  dea- 
cons, and  uther  officers  of  the  kirk,  sic  as  clerks  of  as- 
semblies, takers  up  of  the  psalmes,  beadels  and  keipers 
of  the  kirk,  sa  far  as  is  necessar;  joyning  therewith  also 
the  doctors  of  schules,  to  help  the  ancient  foundations 
Yfhere  neid  requires :  The  third  portion  to  be  bestowit 
vpon  the  puir  members  of  the  faithfull,  and  on  hospi- 
tals :  The  fourth  for  reparation  of  the  kirks,  and  uther 
extraordinar  charges  as  ar  profitable  for  the  kirk ;  and 
also  for  the  common  weil,  if  neid  requyre. 

17.  We  desyre  therefore  the  ecclesiasticall  gudes  to 
be  upliftit,  and  distributed  faithfullie  to  quham  they 
appertein,  and  that  be  the  ministerie  of  the  deacons,  to 


*  Jam.  VI.  Pari.  1.  Cap.  12.     Afterward  ratified  Jam.  VI.  Pari.  12. 
Co.D.  IGl. 


SECOND   BOOK   OF  DISCIPLINE.  xlvii 

quhais  office  properlie  the  collection  and  distribution 
tliereof  belangs;  that  the  puir  may  be  answerit  of  their 
portion  thereof,  and  they  of  the  ministery  live  without 
care  and  solicitude :  As  also  the  rest  of  the  treasurie 
of  the  kirk  may  be  reservit,  and  bestowit  to  their  richt 
uses. 

18.  Gif  these  deacons  be  electit  with  sic  qualities  as 
God's  word  craves  to  be  in  them,  there  is  na  feir  that 
they  sail  abuse  themselfis  in  their  office,  as  the  prophane 
collectors  did  of  before. 

19.  Yit  because  this  vocation  appeires  to  many  to  be 
dangerous,  let  them  be  oblishit  as  they  wer  of  auld  to  a 
yeirlie  count  to  the  pastors  and  elderschip ;  and  gif  the 
kirk  and  prince  think  expedient,  let  cautioners  be 
oblishit  for  their  fidelitie,  that  the  kirk  rents  on  na 
wayes  be  dilapidat. 

20.  And  to  the  effect  this  order  may  tak  place,  it  is 
to  be  provydit,  that  all  uthers  intromettors  with  the  kirk 
rent,  collectors  general  or  speciall,  whether  it  be  by  ap- 
pointment of  the  prince,  or  utherwaies,  may  be  denudit 
of  farther  intromission  therewith ;  and  suffer  the  kirk 
rents  in  tyme  cumming  to  be  haillie  intromettit  with  be 
the  ministrie  of  the  deacons,  and  distribute  to  the  use 
before  mentionat. 

21.  And  also  to  the  effect,  that  the  ecclesiasticall 
rents  may  suffice  to  these  uses,  for  the  quhilk  they  ar 
to  be  appointit ;  we  think  it  necessar  to  be  desyrit,  that 
all  alienations,  setting  of  fewes  or  tacks  of  the  rents  of 
the  kirk,  als  weill  lands  as  teinds,  in  hurt  and  diminu- 
tion of  the  auld  rentals,  be  reducit  and  annullit,  and 
the  patrimony  of  the  kirk  restorit  to  the  former  auld 
libertie. 

22.  And  lykewise,  that  in  tymes  cumming  the  teinds 
be  set  to  nane  hot  to  the  labourers  of  the  ground,  or  els 
not  set  at  all,  as  was  agriet  upon,  and  subscribit  be  the 
nobilitie  of  before.* 

*  See  Chap.  8,  of  the  First  Book  of  Discipline,  which  was  sub- 
scribed by  many  of  the  nobility.  See  also  the  Proceedings  of  the 
General  Assemblie  about  the  Policie  of  the  Kirk. 


Xlviii  SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Utilitie  that  sail  flow  fra  this  Reformation  to  all 

Ustaites. 

1.  Seing  the  end  of  this  spiritnall  government  and 
policie,  quhairof  we  speik,  is  that  God  may  be  glorifiet, 
the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ  advancit,  and  all  who  are 
of  his  mysticall  bodie  may  live  pe'aceable  in  conscience : 
Therfore  we  dar  bauldlie  affirme,  that  all  these  who 
have  trew  respect  to  thir  ends,  will  even  for  conscience 
cause  gladlie  agrie  and  conforme  themselfis  to  this  order, 
and  advance  the  same,  sa  far  as  in  them  lyes,  that  their 
conscience  being  set  at  rest,  they  may  be  replenishit 
with  spirituall  gladnes  in  giving  full  obedience  to  that 
quhilk  Godis  word  and  the  testimonie  of  their  awin  con- 
science does  crave,  and  in  refusing  all  corruption  contrar 
to  the  sam. 

2.  Nixt  we  sail  becum  an  example  and  paterne  of 
gude  and  godly  order  to  uther  nations,  countries,  and 
kirks  professing  the  same  religion  with  us,  that  as  they 
have  glorified  God  in  our  continueing  in  the  sinceritie 
of  the  word  hitherto,  without  any  errours,  praise  .be  to 
his  name :  So  they  may  have  the  lyke  occasion  in  our 
conversation,  when  as  we  conform  our  selfis  to  that  dis- 
cipline, pollicie,  and  gude  order,  quhilk  the  same  word 
and  purity  of  reformation  craveth  at  our  hands ;  uther- 
wise  that  fearfull  sentence  may  be  justly  said  to  us, 
"  The  servant  knawing  the  will  of  his  maister,  and  not 
doing  it,"  &c. 

3.  Mairover,  gif  we  have  any  pity  or  respect  to  the 
puir  members  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  so  greatly  increase 
and  multiplie  amanges  us,  we  will  not  suffer  them  to  be 
langer  defraudit  of  that  part  of  the  patrimonie  of  the 
kirk  quhilk  justly  belangs  unto  them:  And  by  this 
order,  if  it  be  deuly  put  to  execution,  the  burden  of 
them  sail  be  taken  of  us  to  our  great  confort,  the  streits 
sail  be  cleansed  of  thair  cryings  and  murmurings ;  swa 
as  we  sail  na  mair  be  an  skandall  to  uther  nations  as 


SECOND   BOOK   OF   DISCIPLINE.  xlix 

we  have  hitherto  bene  for  not  taking  order  with  the 
puir  amanges  us,  and  causing  the  word  quhilk  we  pro- 
fess to  be  evill  spoken  of,  giving  occasion  of  sclander  to 
the  enemies,  and  offending  the  consciences  of  the  sempil 
and  godlj. 

4.  Besydes  this,  it  sail  be  a  great  ease  and  commodi- 
tie  to  the  haiil  common  people,  in  relieving  them  of  the 
beilding  and  uphalding  of  thair  kirks,  in  bigging  of 
brigges,  and  uther  Ijke  publick  warks :  It  sail  be  a  re- 
lief to  the  labourers  of  the  ground  in  payment  of  their 
teinds ;  and  schortlie  in  all  these  things,  whereinto  they 
have  bene  hitherto  rigorously  handlit  be  them  that  were 
falslie  callit  kirkemen,  their  tacksmen,  factours,  chalmer- 
lanes,  and  extortionars. 

5.  Finally,  to  the  King's  Majestic  and  common-weill 
of  the  countrey,  this  profite  shall  redound :  That  the 
uther  affaires  of  the  kirk  beand  sufficientlie  provydit 
according  to  the  distribution  of  the  quhilk  hes  bene 
spokin ;  the  superplus  beand  collectit  in  the  treasurie 
of  the  kirk,  may  be  profitablie  imployit,  and  liberallie 
bestowit  upon  the  extraordinar  support  of  the  affaires 
of  the  Prince  and  common-weill,  and  speciallie  of  that 
part  quhilk  is  appoyntit  for  reparation  of  kirks. 

6.  Sa  to  conclude,  all  beand  willing  to  apply  them- 
selfis  to  this  order,  the  people  suffering  themselfis  to  be 
rewlit  according  thereto;  the  Princes  and  Magistrates 
not  beand  exemit,  and  these  that  ar  placit  in  the  eccle- 
siasticall  estait  richtlie  rewling  and  governing,  God  sail 
be  glorifiet,  the  kirk  edifiet,  and  the  bounds  thereof  in- 
largit,  Christ  Jesus  and  his  kingdome  set  up,  and  Satan 
and  his  kingdom  subvertit,  and  God  sail  dwell  in  the 
middis  of  us,  to  our  comfort,  through  Jesus  Christ,  who, 
togither  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  abydes 
blessit  in  all  eternity.     Amen. 


ENDIS   THE   BUIK   OF   POLICIE. 
15* 


LETTER  OF  R  BAILLIE, 

ONE  OP  THE  COMMISSIONERS  FROM  THE  CHURCH  OP 
SCOTLAND  TO  THE  WESTMINSTER  ASSEMBLY, 

DESCRIPTIVE    OF 

THAT  BODY  AND  ITS  METHOD  OF  PROCEDURE. 


London,  Dec.  7th,  1643. 
FOR    MR.  WILLIAM    SPANG. 

Since  my  last,  November  ITth,  there  are  few  news  here. 
From  that  day  to  Monday,  I  think  the  20th,  we  keeped 
in,  providing  for  caufey-clothes.  On  Monday  morning, 
we  sent  to  both  Houses  of  Parliament  for  a  warrant  for 
our  sitting  in  the  Assemblie.  This  was  readilie  granted, 
and  by  Mr.  Henderson  presented  to  the  prolocutor; 
who  sent  out  three  of  their  number  to  convey  us  to  the 
Assemblie.  Here  no  mortal  man  may  enter  to  see  or 
hear,  let  be  to  sitt,  without  ane  order  in  wryte  from  both 
Houses  of  Parliament.  When  we  were  brought  in,  Dr. 
Twisse  had  ane  long  harangue  for  our  welcome,  after  so 
long  and  hazardous  a  voyage  by  sea  and  land,  in  so  un- 
seasonable a  tyme  of  the  year:  when  he  had  ended,  we 
satt  down  in  these  places  which  since  we  have  keeped. 
The  like  of  that  Assemblie  I  did  never  see,  and,  as  we 
hear  say,  the  like  was  never  in  England,  nor  any  where 
is  shortlie  lyke  to  be.  They  did  sit  in  Henry  the  7th's 
Chappell,  in  the  place  of  the  Convocation  ;  but  since 
the  weather  grew  cold,  they  did  go  to  Jerusalem  Cham- 
ber, a  faire  roome  in  the  Abbey  of  Westminster,  about 
the  bounds  of  the  College  fore-hall,  but  wyder.  At  the 
one  end  nearest  the  doore,  and  both  sydes  are  stages  of 
1 


LETTER   OF    R.  BAILLIE.  li 

seats  as  in  the  New  Assemblle-House  at  Eillnburgh,  but 
not  so  high;  for  there  will  be  roome  but  for  five  or  six 
score.    At  the  uppermost  end  there  is  a  chair  set  on  ane 
frame,  a  foot  from  the  earth,  for  the  Mr.  Prolocutor, 
Dr.  Twisse.     Before  it  on  the  ground  stands  two  chairs 
for  the  two  Mr.  Assessors,  Dr.  Burgess  and  Mr.  Whjte. 
Before    these    two   chairs,   through   the    length   of  the 
roome,  stands  a  table,  at  which  sitts  the  two  scribes, 
Mr.  Bjfield  and  Mr.  Roborough.     The  house  is  all  well 
hung,  and  hes  a  good  fjre,  which  is  some  dainties  at 
London.      Foranent   the   table,  upon   the   Prolocutor's 
right  hand,  there  are  three  or  four  rankes  of  formes. 
On  the  lowest  we  five  doe  sit.     Upon  the  other,  at  our 
backs,  the  members  of  Parliament  deputed  to  the  As- 
semblie.     On  the  formes  foranent  us,  on  the  Prolocu- 
tor's left  hand,  going  from  the  upper  end  of  the  house 
to  the  chimney,  and  at  the  other  end  of  the  house,  and 
back-sjde  of  the  table,  till  it  comes  about  to  our  seats, 
are   four   or   five    stages   of  fourmes,  whereupon  their 
divines  sitts  as  they  please ;  albeit  commonlie  they  keep 
the  same  place.     From  the  chimney  to  the  door  there  is 
no  seats,  but  a  voyd  for  passage.     The  Lords  of  Par- 
liament uses  to  sit  on  chaires,  in  that  voyd,  about  the 
fire.     We  meet  every  day  of  the  week,  but  Saturday. 
We  sit  commonlie  from  nine  to  one  or  two  afternoon. 
The  Prolocutor  at  the  beginning  and  end  hes  a  short 
prayer.     The  man,  as  the  world  knows,  is  very  learned 
in  the  questions  he  hes  studied,  and  very  good  beloved 
of  all,  and  highlie  esteemed ;  but  merely  bookish,  and 
not  much,  as  it  seems,  acquaint  with  conceived  prayer, 
[and]  among  the  unfittest  of  all  the  company  for  any 
action ;  so  after  the  prayer  he  sitts  mute.     It  was  the 
canny  conveyance  of  these  who  guides  most  matters  for 
their  own  interest  to  plant  such  a  man  of  purpose  in  the 
chaire.     The  one  assessour,  our  good  friend  Mr.  Whyte, 
has  keeped  in  of  the  gout  since  our  coming ;  the  other. 
Dr.  Burgess,  a  very  active  and  sharpe  man,  supplies,  so 
far  as   is   decent,   the  Prolocutor's    place.     Ordinarlie 
there  will  be  present  above  threescore  of  their  divines. 


lii  LETTER    OF   R.  BAILLIE. 

These  are  divided  into  three  committees ;  in  one  whereof 
every  man  is  a  member.  No  man  is  excluded  who 
pleases  to  come  to  any  of  the  three.  Every  Committee, 
as  the  Parliament  gives  order  in  write  to  take  any  pur- 
pose to  consideration,  takes  a  portion,  and  in  their  after- 
noon meeting  prepares  matters  for  the  Assemblie,  setts 
downe  their  minde  in  distinct  propositions,  backs  their 
propositions  with  texts  of  Scripture.  After  the  prayer, 
Mr.  Byfield  the  scribe,  reads  the  propositions  and  Scrip- 
tures, whereupon  the  Assemblie  debates  in  a  most  grave 
and  orderlie  way.  No  man  is  called  up  to  speak ;  hot 
who  stands  up  of  his  own  accorde,  he  speaks  so  long  as 
he  will  without  interruption.  If  two  or  three  stand  up 
at  once,  then  the  divines  confusedlie  call  on  his  name 
whom  they  desyre  to  hear  first :  On  whom  the  loudest 
and  maniest  voices  calls,  he  speaks.  No  man  speaks  to 
any  hot  the  Prolocutor.  They  harangue  long  and  very 
learnedlie.  They  studie  the  questions  well  before  hand, 
and  prepare  their  speeches ;  hot  withall  the  men  are 
exceeding  prompt,  and  well  spoken.  I  doe  marvell  at 
the  very  accurate  and  extemporall  replyes  that  many  of 
them  usuallie  doe  make.  When,  upon  every  proposition 
by  itself,  and  on  everie  text  of  Scripture  that  is  brought 
to  confirme  it,  every  man  who  will  hes  said  his  whole 
minde,  and  the  replyes,  and  duplies,  and  triplies,  are 
heard ;  then  the  most  part  calls.  To  the  question.  By- 
field  the  scribe  rises  from  the  table,  and  comes  to  the 
Prolocutor's  chair,  who,  from  the  scribe's  book,  reads 
the  proposition,  and  says,  as  many  as  are  in  opinion 
that  the  question  is  well  stated  in  the  proposition,  let 
them  say  1 ;  when  I  is  heard,  he  says,  as  many  as  think 
otherwise,  say  No.  If  the  difference  of  I's  and  No's 
be  cleare,  as  usualie  it  is,  then  the  question  is  ordered 
by  the  scribes,  and  they  go  on  to  debate  the  first  Scrip- 
ture alleadged  for  proof  of  the  proposition.  If  the 
sound  of  I  and  no  be  near  equall,  then  says  the  Prolo- 
cutor, as  many  as  say  I,  stand  up ;  while  they  stand, 
the  scribe  and  others  number  them  in  their  minde ; 
when  they  sitt  down,  the  No's  are  bidden  stand,  and 


LETTER    OF   R.  BAILLIE.  liS 

they  likewise  are  numbered.  This  way  is  clear  enough, 
and  saves  a  great  deal  of  time,  which  we  spend  in  read- 
ing  our  catalogue.  When  a  question  is  once  ordered, 
there  is  no  more  debate  of  that  matter ;  but  if  a  man 
will  vaige,  he  is  quicklie  taken  up  by  Mr.  Assessor,  or 
many  others,  confusedlie  crying,  Speak  to  order,  to 
order.  No  man  contradicts  another  expresslie  by 
name,  bot  most  discreetlie  speaks  to  the  Prolocutor, 
and  at  most  holds  on  the  generall.  The  Reverend  bro- 
ther, who  latelie  or  last  spoke,  on  this  hand,  on  that 
syde,  above,  or  below.  I  thought  meet  once  for  all  to 
give  you  a  taste  of  the  outward  form  of  their  Assem- 
blie.  They  follow  the  way  of  their  Parliament.  Much 
of  their  way  is  good,  and  worthie  of  our  imitation :  only 
their  longsomeness  is  wofull  at  this  time,  when  their 
Church  and  Kingdome  lyes  under  a  most  lamentable 
anarchy  and  confusion.  They  see  the  hurt  of  their 
longth,  but  cannot  get  it  helped ;  for  being  to  establish 
a  new  platforme  of  worship  and  discipline  to  their  na- 
tion for  all  time  to  come,  they  think  they  cannot  be 
answerable,  if  solidlie,  and  at  leisure,  they  doe  not  exa- 
mine every  point  thereof. 

When  our  Commissioners  came  up  they  were  desired 
to  sit  as  members  of  the  Assemblie;  but  they  wiselie 
declyned  to  doe  so :  but  since  they  came  up  as  Commis- 
sioners for  our  National  Church  to  treat  for  Uniformi- 
tie,  they  required  a  committee  might  be  appointed  from 
the  Parliament  and  Assemblie  to  treat  with  them  ther^- 
anent.  All  these,  after  some  harsh  enough  debates, 
was  granted :  so  once  a  week,  and  whyles  after,  there 
is  a  committee  of  some  Lords,  and  Commons,  and  Di- 
vines, which  meets  with  us  anent  our  commission.  To 
this  committee  a  paper  was  given  in  by  our  brether 
before  we  ca,me,  as  ane  introduction  to  further  treatie : 
The  double  of  it  you  may  see  heirwith.  According  to 
it  the  Assemblie  did  debaite,  and  agree  anent  the  dutie 
of  Pastors.  At  our  first  comeing,  we  found  them  in  a 
very  sharp  debaite,  anent  the  office  of  Doctors.  The 
Independent  men,  whereof  there  are  some  ten  or  eleven 


liv  LETTER    OF   R.  BAILLIE. 

in  the  synod,  manie  of  them  very  able  men,  as  Thomas 
Goodwin,  Nye,  Burroughs,  Bridge,  Carter,  Caryll, 
Philips,  Sterry,  were  for  the  divine  institution  of  a 
Doctor  in  everie  congregation  as  well  as  a  Pastor.  To 
these  the  others  were  extremelie  opposite,  and  somewhat 
bitterlie,  pressing  much  the  simple  identic  of  Pastors 
and  Doctors.  Mr.  Hendersone  travelled  betwixt  them, 
and  drew  on  a  committee  for  accomodation ;  in  the 
wliilk  we  agreed  unanimouslie  upon  some  six  proposi- 
tions, wherein  the  absolute  necessitie  of  a  Doctor  in 
evrie  congregation,  and  his  divine  institution  in  formall 
termes,  was  eschewed;  yet  where  two  ministers  can  be 
had  in  one  congregation,  the  one  is  allowed  according 
to  his  gift,  to  applie  himself  most  to  teacheing,  and  the 
other  to  exhortation,  according  to  Scripture.  The  next 
poynt,  whereon  yet  we  stick,  is  reuling  Elders.  Many 
a  verie  brave  dispute  have  we  had  upon  them  these  ten 
dayes.  I  professe  my  marvelling  at  the  great  learning, 
quickness,  and  eloquence,  together  with  the  great  cour- 
tesie  and  discretion  in  speaking,  of  these  men.  Sundrie 
of  the  ablest  were  flat  against  the  institution  of  any 
such  officer  by  divine  right,  such  as  Dr.  Smith,  Dr. 
Temple,  Mr.  Gataker,  Mr.  Vines,  Mr.  Price,  Mr.  Hall, 
and  manie  moe,  beside  the  Independents,  who  trulie 
spake  much  and  exceedinglie  well.  The  most  of  the 
Synod  was  in  our  opinion,  and  reasoned  bravelie  for  it ; 
such  as  Mr.  Seaman,  Mr.  Walker,  Mr.  Marshall,  Mr. 
Newcomen,  Mr.  Young,  Mr.  Calamy.  Sundrie  times  Mr. 
Hendersone,  Mr.  Rutherford,  Mr.  Gillespie,  all  three, 
spoke  exceeding  well.  When  all  were  tired,  it  came  to 
the  question.  There  was  no  doubt  but  we  would  have 
carried  it  by  far  most  voices :  yet  because  the  opposi- 
tion were  men  verie  considerable,  above  all  gracious  and 
learned  little  Palmer,  we  agreed  upon  a  committee  to 
satisfie  if  it  were  possible,  the  dissenters.  For  this  end 
we  meet  to-day;  and  I  hope,  ere  all  be  done,  we  shall 
atrree.  All  of  them  were  ever  willino;  to  admitt  Elders 
in  a  prudentiall  way ;  but  this  to  us  seemed  a  most  dan- 
gerous and  unhappie  way,  and  therefore  was  premptorile 


LETTER    OF   R.  BAILLIE.  Iv 

rejected.  We  trust  to  carle  at  last,  with  the  content- 
ment of  sundrie  once  opposite,  and  silence  of  all,  their 
divine  and  scripturall  institution.  This  is  a  pojnt  of 
high  consequence;  and  upon  no  other  we  expect  so 
great  difficultie,  except  alone  on  Independencie;  where- 
with we  purpose  not  to  meddle  in  haste,  till  it  please 
God  to  advance  our  armie,  which  we  expect  will  much 
assist  our  arguments.  However,  we  are  not  desperate 
of  some  accomodation;  for  Goodwin,  Burroughs,  and 
Bridge,  are  men  full,  as  it  seems  yet,  of  grace  and  mo- 
destie :  If  they  should  prove  otherwise,  the  bodie  of  the 
Assemhlie  and  Parliament,  citie  and  countrie,  will  dis- 
claime  them.  The  other  day  a  number  of  the  citie  and 
countrie  ministers  gave  in  an  earnest  and  well  penned 
supplication  to  the  Assemblie,  regraiting  the  lamentable 
confusion  of  their  Church  under  the  present  anarchy; 
the  increase  of  Anabaptists,  Antinomians,  and  other 
sectaries;  the  boldnesse  of  some  in  the  citie,  and  about 
it,  in  gathering  seperate  congregations ;  requesting  the 
Assemblie's  intercession  with  the  Parliament  for  the 
redress  of  these  evills ;  and  withall  for  the  erection  at 
London,  dureing  the  time  of  these  troubles,  of  a  col- 
lege for  the  youth,  wdiose  studies  are  interrupted  at 
Oxford.  This  was  well  taken  by  the  Assemblie.  The 
Parliament  promised  their  best  endeavours  for  all. 
John  Goodwin,  accused  by  Mr.  Walker,  and  Dr. 
Holmes  of  Socinianisme,  and  others,  are  appointed  to 
be  admonished  for  their  assaying  to  gather  congrega- 
tions. The  Parliament  became  the  other  day  sensible 
of  their  too  long  neglect  of  wryting  to  the  Churches 
abroad  of  their  condition ;  so  it  was  the  matter  of  our 
great  committee  to  draw  up  letters  in  the  name  of  the 
Assemblie  for  the  Protestant  churches.  The  drawing 
of  them  was  committed  to  Mr.  Palmer  who  yet  is  upon 
them.  There  is  a  little  committe  also,  which  meets  in 
the  Assemblie-house  almost  everie  morning,  for  the 
tryall  of  expectants ;  when  they  have  heard  them 
preach,  and  posed  them  with  questions,  they  give  in  to 
tlie  Assemblie  a  certificate  of  their  qualification;  upon 


Ivi  LETTER    OF   H.  BAILLIE. 

which  they  are  sent  to  supply  vacant  churches,  hut 
■without  ordination,  till  some  government  be  erected  in 
their  desolate  churches.  Plundered  ministers  are  ap- 
pointed, by  order  of  Parliament,  to  be  put  in  all  vacant 
places  in  the  citie  and  countrie,  in  their  obedience,  till 
they  be  all  provided.  Concerning  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  I  need  say  no  more  at  this  tyme. 

R.  Baillie. 


EXTEACTS  FEOM  GILLESPIE'S 
NOTES   OF   PROCEEDINGS 


OF    THE 


ASSEMBLY  OF  DIVINES  AT  WESTMINSTER. 


Feb.  2,  1644. 

THE    QUESTION    OE    PEESBYTERY   STATED. 

The  Letter  from  the  commissioners  of  the  General 
Assembly  to  us,  pressing  a  quicker  dispatch  of  things 
in  this  Assembly,  was  read,  and  my  lord  Warristoun 
received. 

The  day  before,  the  Assembly  had  voted,  1st,  That 
there  is  a  presbytery  holden  forth  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  2d,  That  it  consists  of  pastors  and  other  church 
governors.  The  3d  proposition  brought  in  by  the  com- 
mittee was,  That  the  Scripture  holds  forth  that  many 
particular  congregations  may  be  under  one  presbyterial 
government. 

Mr.  Ney  said.  That  the  Scots  commissioners  had 
given  in  to  the  grand  committee  a  system  of  the  whole 
church  government,  which,  being  transmitted  from  that 
committee  to  the  Assembly,  he  desired  that  the  As- 
sembly might  go  on  in  that  method,  beginning  at  the 
government  of  particular  congregations ;  also  that  the 
proposition  holds  not  forth  what  ought  to  be,  but  what 
may  be.  We  answered,  That  we  were  well  content  the 
Assembly  should  take   their  own  order,   and   not   tie 

16  Ivii 


Iviii  NOTES   OF   PROCEEDINGS   OF   THE 

themselves  to  ours,  especially  in  regard  of  the  last  long 
debate  about  ordaining  ministers,  which  calls  first  to 
settle  a  presbjterj  that  may  ordain  ministers  where 
there  is  need. 

Mr.  Goodwin  and  Burrowes  desired  to  debate  the 
institution  of  such  a  government,  not  the  warrantable- 
ness  of  it.  It  was  answered,  That  they  who  oppose 
presbyterial  government  oppose  it  on  this  ground,  that 
it  may  not  be,  and  that  all  church  government  is  in  par- 
ticular congregations,  so  that  the  may  he  must  be  first 
debated. 

Mr.  Herle  desired  it  may  stand  as  it  is,  that  these 
brethren  who  are  for  another  government  may  get  the 
more  favour  in  not  being  concluded  under  the  opposing 
of  an  institution. 

Mr.  Vinos  said,  So  that  must  he  will  make  each  side 
condemn  other,  but  may  he  will  make  each  side  bear 
with  other. 

Mr.  Goodwin  said.  The  question  should  be  stated  of 
fixed  congregations,  for  so  we  are  to  practise  it. 

Mr.  Vines  said.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  question 
is  not  of  indistinct  congregations  as  in  Holland,  but  of 
many  congregations,  that  are  distinct  organical  bodies, 
having  their  proper  pastors  and  elders. 

Mr.  Palmer  said.  It  may  be  the  Assembly  shall  find 
in  the  word,  that,  in  such  towns  as  London  or  Cam- 
bridge, there  should  be  no  fixed  distinct  congregations, 
but  only  one  church. 

My  lord  Maitland  testified,  from  his  knowledge,  that 
in  Geneva  there  are  four  fixed  congregations  which 
have  their  peculiar  pastors. 

Mr.  Ney  said,  When  they  speak  of  distinct  congrega- 
tions, they  mean  not  of  distinct  places  of  meeting,  but 
of  being  under  a  distinct  government  and  governors  as 
in  Scotland. 

It  was  in  end  resolved  to  debate  the  question  as  it 
was  brought  in. 


ASSEMBLY   OF  DIVINES   AT  WESTMINSTER.  lix 


Feb.  20. 

FURTHER    DEBATE    OF    MATT.  XVIIL 

Mr.  Calamy  said,  "The  church,"  Matt,  xviii.,  is  to  be 
taken  as  in  the  Acts  and  other  places;  but  there  the 
church  is  put,  not  for  one  congregation,  but  many. 

Mr.  Selden  said,  There  is  nothing,  Matt,  xviii.,  of 
excommunication  or  jurisdiction,  which  could  not  be 
exercised  by  the  ancient  church  till  the  church  of  Rome 
got  their  power  from  the  emperor.  That  some  late 
men,  as  Dominicus  Soto,  and  Sayrus,  and  Henrique, 
say  that  here  is  some  power  given  to  the  church,  which 
the  church  afterward  did  specificate  to  be  a  power  of 
excommunication.  He  said,  Matthew's  gospel  w^as  the 
first  that  was  written,  about  eight  years  after  Christ's 
ascension,  the  first  year  of  Claudius.  That  it  was 
written  in  Hebrew,  and  translated  in  Greek  by  John. 
That  though  the  Hebrew  that  Matthew  wrote  be  not 
extant,  yet  two  editions  of  this  gospel  are  extant  in 
Hebrew,  one  by  Munster,  another  by  Tilius.  That  we 
find  in  Tilius'  edition  kahal,  Matt,  xviii.,  and  gnedah^ 
Matt,  xviii.,  though  in  Munster's  kahal  be  in  both 
places.  Now,  there  being  no  place  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment written  when  this  was  written,  we  must  expound 
it  by  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  which,  according  to  the 
law  (Lev.  xix.  17),  was,  that  when  one  oifended  his 
brother,  the  offended  brother  required  satisfaction,  and 
if  he  get  it  not,  speak  to  him  before  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses ;  and  if  he  hear  them  not,  to  tell  it  to  a  greater 
number,  (for  which  he  offered  to  show  many  of  the 
Hebrew  authors  and  Talmudists.)  That  they  had  in 
Jerusalem,  beside  the  great  Sanhedrim,  two  courts  of 
twenty-three,  and  in  every  city  one  court  of  twenty- 
three.  That  the  casting  out  of  the  synagogue  was  only 
the  putting  of  a  man  in  that  condition,  that  he  might 
not  come  within  four  cubits  of  another;  that  any  man 
being  twelve  years  of  age  might  excommunicate  an- 
other, not  that  he  was  altogether  cut  off  from  having 


Ix  NOTES    OF   PROCEEDINGS    OF   THE 

any  thing  to  do  with  the  synagogue.  He  said  the  con- 
vocation was  called  Clerus ,Anglicanus,  and  the  parlia- 
ment Pojjulus  Anglicanus,  so  here  gnedah  and  exxAr^aca 
signifies  only  a  select  number.  That  the  word  is  used 
in  one  place  for  women,  Deut.  xxiii.  3 ;  "  shall  not  enter 
into  the  congregation."*  That  Christ,  when  he  said 
ecclesia,  was  in  Capernaum,  where  there  was  a  court  of 
twenty-three.  That  the  meaning  is.  Tell  the  San- 
hedrim, which  can  redress  the  wrong,  That  if  the  Jew- 
ish state  had  continued  Christian,  their  civil  govern- 
ment might  have  continued,  though  their  ceremonies 
were  gone,  so  that  ecclesia  here  would  have  been  a  civil 
court. 

Mr.  Herle  said.  There  are  four  things  by  which  we 
expound  Scripture.  The  original  tongue,  the  analogy 
of  faith,  the  coherence,  and  the  comparing  of  other 
places.  That  the  two  Hebrew  copies  come  not  to  us 
from  so  good  a  hand  as  the  Greek.  That  exxXrjCna  is 
coetus  evocatorum,  and  must  be  more  than  a  company. 
That  if  die  eeclesice  had  cohered  with  the  end  of  the 
last  chapter,  it  might  have  been  taken  to  be  a  San- 
hedrim, but  here  it  coheres  with  spiritual  duties  and 
scandals. 

Mr.  Marshall  said.  The  Talmudists  cited  by  Mr.  Sel- 
den  are  not  older  than  three  hundred  years  after  the 
Jews  ceased  to  be  the  people  of  God;  that  the  end  in 
the  text  is  not  to  repair  wrong,  but  to  gain  my  brother. 

Mr.  Ney  said.  The  divines  of  Scotland  and  in  the 
Netherlands  acknowledge  that  a  single  congregation  is 
a  true  integral  church  with  intrinsical  government,  so 
that  the  meaning  of  the  question  must  be  that  one  pres- 
byterial  government  may  be  under  another:  Except  the 
government  be  independent  there  must  be  a  presbytery 
under  a  presbytery,  which  language,  in  apostolical  con- 
sideration, cannot  stand;  for  then  there  are  two  sorts 
of  presbyteries,  formally  distinct,  for  one  power  cannot 


*  The   Jews  understand   it   of  mairyiug   an  Isiaelitish   woman. 
— Lightfoot,  1(36. 


ASSEMBLY   OF   DIVINES   AT   WESTMINSTER.  1x1 

be  over  another  except  they  be  distinct  specie  in  respect 
of  jurisdiction :  That  they  are  as  much  distinct  as  pas- 
tors and  deacons,  or  as  governors  and  governed. 

Mr.  Herle  said,  These  two  presbyteries  are  not  spe- 
cifically but  formally  distinct  as  continens  and  con- 
tentum. 

He  [Ney]  said.  The  Scripture  holds  not  forth  two 
distinct  presbyteries  or  jurisdictions,  for  then  w^e  should 
have  in  Scripture  two  distinct  names  as  the  two  great 
lights,  Gen.  i.  Ans.  We  have  two  distinct  powers, 
Acts  XV.,  and  even  here  gnedah  and  Sijnhedrion  were 
common  names,  and  the  higher  and  lower  w^as  both 
called  Sanhedrim,  as  now  the  church  is  taken  by  us. 

2.  He  said.  We  cannot  find  them  distinct  in  their 
nature.  That  the  Scots  discipline  saith  that  two  or 
three  landward  churches  may  make  up  a  presbytery, 
that  neither  the  materiale  nor  the  formate  can  distin- 
guish these  presbyteries. 

I  answer  to  Mr.  Selden,*  It  is  a  spiritual,  not  a  civil 
court,  which  is  meant  by  the  church,  Matt,  xviii. ;  for, 
1.  Suhjecta  materia  is  spiritual.  If  thy  brother  tres- 
pass against  thee,  it  is  not  meant  of  personal  or  civil 
injuries,  but  of  any  scandal  given  to  our  brother, 
whereby  w^e  trespass  against  him,  inasmuch  as  we  tres- 
pass against  the  law  of  charity.  Augustine  and  Tos- 
tatus  expound  it  of  any  scandal,  and  the  coherence 
confirmeth  it,  for  scandals  were  spoken  of  before  in 
that  chapter.  2.  The  end  is  spiritual,  the  gaining  of 
the  offender's  soul,  which  is  not  the  end  of  a  civil  court. 
3.  The  persons  are  spiritual,  for  Christ  speaks  to  his 
apostles,  ver.  18.  4.  The  manner  of  proceeding  spiri- 
tual, ver.  19,  20,  prayer,  and  doing  all  in  the  name  of 
Christ ;  which  places-  not  only  our  divines,  but  Tostatus 
and  Hugo  Cardinalis  expound  of  meetings  for  church 
censures,  not  of  meetings  for  worship.  5.  The  censure 
is  spiritual,  binding  of  the  soul,  or  retaining  of  sins, 
ver.  18 ;    compared  with  Matt.  xvi.  19 ;    John  xx.  28. 

*  Lightfoot  places  this  in  the  session  of  the  21st. 
16* 


Ixii  NOTES    OF    PROCEEDINGS   OF   THE 

6.  Christ  would  not  have  sent  his  disciples  for  private 
injuries  to  a  civil  court,  especially  they  living  among 
heathens,  1  Cor.  vi.  1.  7.  If  we  look  even  to  the  Jew- 
ish custom,  they  had  spiritual  censures:  to  be  held  as  a 
heathen  and  publican,  imports  a  restraint,  a  saeris,  for 
heathens  were  not  admitted  into  the  temple,  Ezek.  xliv. 

7,  9 ;  Acts  xxi.  28.  So  the  profane  were  debarred  the 
temple.  Josephus,  lib.  xix.  antiq.  cap.  17,  tells  us  that 
one  Simon,  a  doctor  of  the  law  of  Moses,  in  Jerusalem, 
did  accuse  king  Agrippa  as  a  wicked  man  that  should 
not  be  admitted  into  the  temple.  Philo,  lib.  de  sacrifi- 
cantibus,  writeth,  it  was  the  custom  in  his  own  time 
that  a  man-sla^^er  was  not  admitted  into  the  temple. 
The  Scripture  also  giveth  light  in  this,  for  if  they  that 
were  ceremonially  unclean  might  not  enter  into  the 
temple,  how  shall  we  think  that  they  who  were  morally 
unclean  might  enter. 

Feb,  21. 

Mr.  Young  cited  against  Mr.  Selden,  Cyprian,  ep.  b^)^ 
where  Cyprian  citeth  the  words,  "  If  he  hear  not  the 
church,  let  him  be,"  &c.,  against  fellowship  with  here- 
tics. So  ep.  67.  That  Origen  expounds  this  place, 
Matt,  xviii.,  of  casting  out  of  the  church,  tract.  6  in 
Matt.,  and  hom.  7  in  Jos.,  he  tells  that,  after  admoni- 
tion, he  was  to  be  cut  off  from  the  body  of  the  church, 
tertio  admonitus  per  ecclesice  'prcepositos  debet  ab  ecclesice 
corj)ore  resecari. 

Mr.  Coleman  said,  That  the  Sanhedrim  was  only  a 
civil  court. 

He  said,  1.  The  subject  matter  is  only  difference 
betwixt  party  and  party,  and  the  party  was  to  forgive 
him.  Ajis.  The  party  was  not  to  forgive  him  here. 
There  is  no  such  thing  in  the  text. 

2.  To  gain  him  was  to  gain  love  and  peace.  Ans.  No, 
it  relates  to  Lev.  xix.  17. 

3.  It  is  not  spoken  to  the  apostles,  but  to  any  brother. 
Ans.  Ver.  18. 

4.  The   manner   of  the    court   civil   might   be  with 


ASSEMBLY   OF    DIVINES    AT   WESTMINSTER.        Ixiii 

prayer;  Abraliam's  servant  prayed:  That  he  begins  a 
new  matter,  ''Again,  I  say  unto  t/ou.''  Ajis.  (1.)  He' 
answers  not,  "gathering  together  in  the  name  of 
Christ."  (2.)  "Again"  makes  rather  against  him,  as 
repeating  the  same  thing. 

5.  That  the  censure  is  not  spiritual,  for  binding  is 
only  doctrinal.  Ans.  It  is  doctrinal,  Matt,  xvi.,  but 
forensical  here,  as  appears  by  witnesses. 

6.  That  Christ  would  send  his  disciples  to  a  civil 
court.     Ans.  He  hath  not  answered  1  Cor.  vi. 

7.  To  be  a  heathen  and  a  publican  is  not  to  be  de- 
barred a  sacris^ — that  a  heathen  Ethiopian  was  at  Jeru- 
salem to  worship,  Acts  viii.  To  be  a  publican  was  not 
to  be  debarred  a  saeris,  Luke-xviii.  Ans.  He  hath  not 
answered  Ezek.  xliv.  7,  9;  Acts  xxi.  28,  29.  (2.)  The 
publican  (Luke  xviii.)  stood  afar  ofi*. 

Mr.  Ney  argued  again,  following  forth  what  the  As- 
sembly had  judged  impertinent  yesterday,  1.  That  the 
gathering  of  a  vast  spiritual  body,  to  rule  by  their 
laws  both  the  outward  and  inward  man,  is  inconvenient 
to  the  peace  of  a  kingdom.  Ans.  Retorts  the  argu- 
ment :  There  will  never  be  peace  in  the  kingdom  without 
a  supreme  consistory  in  the  church. 

2.  It  hath  such  an  extent,  even  as  large  as  the  civil 
state,  and,  being  withal  jure  divino,  it  will  be  taken 
very  ill. 

3.  Where  there  are  two  so  vast  bodies,  civil  and 
ecclesiastical,  if  they  agree  as  in  times  of  peace,  stories 
tells  us  that  they  will  practise  over  the  whole,  and  the 
ecclesiastical  body  will  interest  themselves  in  the  civil 
power;  if  they  disagree  it  is  as  ill.  He  cited  the  pre- 
face of  the  assertion,  that  the  presbyterial  government 
is  by  an  inflexible  rule,  and  the  civil  by  a  Lesbian  rule. 

Ans.  1.  All  this  anticipates  the  wisdom  and  judg- 
ment of  the  parliament,  who  can  best  judge  of  state 
inconveniences.  2.  We  are  now  to  search  the  Scrip- 
tures. 3.  It  contradicts  his  own  Apologetical  Narra- 
tion, that  they  have  no  state  ends  to  comply  with,  no 
commonwealths  to   mould.     4.  We  can  tell,  from  our 


Ixiv  NOTES    OF   PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE 

experience  in  Scotland,  that  our  General  Assemblies 
and  their  commissioners  do  not  weaken  but  strengthen 
the  state ;  and  malignants  have  been  more  afraid  of  the 
church  censures  than  of  the  civil.  5.  Their  own  way 
is  more  formidable  for  rupture  and  mischief. 

Mr.  Vines  said,  out  of  Thucydides,  The  Greek  states 
in  Athens  were  democratical,  the  Roman  state  aristo- 
cratical ;  the  former  fell  in  confusion  and  rent,  not  the 
latter. 

Mr.  Seaman  said,  In  all  human  societies  there  is  a 
power  over  a  power;  even  in  a  congregation  the  power 
to  acts  of  worship  is  subject  to  the  power  of  jurisdiction. 

Mr.  AVhitlock  said,  Unless  there  be  a  power  over  a 
power,  there  cannot  be  a  right  church  government.  He 
said.  In  the  kingdom  there  is  a  twofold  power,  1.  Juris- 
dictionis — which  is  in  courts  higher  and  lower;  the  sub- 
ject of  this  is  meum  et  tuum.  2.  Potestas  gladii  vel 
imperii-^ihe  subject  whereof  is  malum  et  honum^  else 
there  would  be  oppression  in  the  state;  so  will  Indepen- 
dency make  in  the  church. 

My  Lord  Say  said,  We  must  consider  whether  Christ 
hath  instituted  a  church  government.  If  so,  Christ 
must  answer  the  inconvenients;  if  not,  the  state  must 
judge.  He  said,  That  we  who  are  against  the  con- 
gregational way  agree  not,  some  of  us  holding  that  the 
congregations  under  a  presbj^tery  are  distinct  organical 
churches ;  others  hold  that  all  these  congregations  are 
but  one  church. 

It  was  put  to  the  vote  and  resolved.  That  the  argu- 
ments against  the  proposition  (from  Matt,  xviii.)  are 
not  proved,  nor  conclude  against  the  proposition ;  then 
it  was  resolved  to  fall  on  proofs  for  the  affirmative  part 
of  the  proposition;  and  first,  from  the  church  of  Jeru- 
salem. 

Sept.  30. 

Mr.  Vines  presented  to  the  Grand  Committee,  from 
the  Sub-Committee,  a  paper  of  the  Agreements:  As  for 


ASSEMBLY    OF    DIVINES    AT   WESTMINSTER.  IxV 

the  differences,  he  said,  the  dissenting  brethren  pro- 
mi-sed  to  bring  it  in.     The  Agreements  were  thus : 

In  confidence  of  agreement  in  the  other  three  parts 
of  uniformity,  we  come  to  points  of  Government. 

1.  That  a  congregation  having  officers,  according  to 
the  word,  is  a  church  that  hath  power  in  all  ecclesiasti- 
cal affairs,  which  do  only  concern  itself. 

2.  That  these  officers  are  to  be  so  many  in  each  con- 
gregation, as  that  three,  or  two  at  least,  may  agree  in 
every  act  of  government. 

3.  That  these  officers  have  power  in  those  things 
which  are  voted  by  the  Assembly  to  be  due  to  them,  as 
also  in  suspension  and  excommunication  7ion  renitente 
ecclesia. 

4.  That  the  elders  of  the  congregation  shall  take  the 
advice  of  the  classis  in  all  cases  of  excommunication, 
before  they  proceed  to  it. 

5.  That  the  members  of  a  congregation  do  cohabit 
within  certain  precincts  of  a  parish,  under  the  preach- 
ing and  ruling  officers. 

6.  For  associating  churches,  let  there  be  a  select 
number  of  able  godly  ministers  in  each  county,  and  a 
certain  number  of  ruling  officers  joined  with  them,  to 
determine  the  causes  and  differences  in  each  congrega- 
tion.— The  first  choice  of  these  to  be  made  by  the  Par- 
liament, that  the  election  of  ministers  or  governors  be- 
longs to  them. 

7.  The  ministers  and  ruling  governors  of  the  con- 
gregation within  that  county  so  associated,  shall  have 
power  to  debate  and  vote  in  that  classis  in  such  cases 
as  pertain  to  that  congregation,  except  such 

8.  A  certain  number  of  the  foresaid  ministers  and 
ruling  governors  as  dwell  together  in  some  division,  and 
may  conveniently  meet  together,  shall  have  power  to 
hear  and  determine  the  causes  within  that  precinct. 

9.  That  the  national  assemblies  be  chosen  from  time 
to  time,  according  as  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Parlia- 
ment, and  as  the  condition  of  the  Church  from  time  to 
time  shall  require. 


Ixvi  NOTES   OF    PROCEEDINGS. 

There  began  a  debate  betwixt  my  Lord  Sey  and  Mr. 
Rous,  concerning  the  preface  of  these  propositions, 
which 

Mr.  Sollicitor  said  is  not  needful  now:  the  present 
work  of  this  Committee  being  only  for  government. 

Mr.  Ney  said.  The  preface  is  their  conditional  agree- 
ment to  the  propositions. 

Mr.  Henderson  desired  a  copy  of  the  agreements  and 
diiferences,  that  we  may  advise  with  them. 

The  Independents  assented  to  the  1  and  2. ;  they 
put  in  an  exception  in  the  3,  that  excommunication  be 
suffi'agante  ecclesia;  to  the  4  they  restrained  it  to  diffi- 
cult cases ;  to  the  5  they  added  two  limitations :  1. 
That,  in  country  villages,  these  that  are  in  the  next 
parishes  contiguously  may  be  admitted  members  of 
their  churches :  2.  That  the  consent  be  had  of  the 
minister  or  major  part  of  the  congregation,  which  being 
had,  members  may  be  taken  out  of  other  churches. 
They  added  this  explanation:  That  a  congregation,  in 
difficult  cases,  may  advise  with  whom  they  will,  and  if 
the  matter  be  not  healed,  then  to  have  their  recourse  to 
the  chassis  whereof  they  are  members. 

Mr.  Seaman  desired  to  know.  Whether  this  Com- 
mittee be  to  consider  and  debate  the  truth  and  false- 
hood of  these  propositions,  or  whether  this  Committee 
be  only  to  consider  whether  it  be  fit  to  present  these  to 
the  Assembly. 

Mr.  Palmer  said,  The  answer  cannot  be  returned  to 
the  House  till  it  come  from  this  Committee  to  the  As- 
sembly. 


Y  0  T  E  S 


PASSED    IN    THE 


ASSEMBLY  OF  DIVINES  IN  WESTMINSTER, 


CONCERNING  DISCIPLINE  AND  GOVERNMENT. 


[1643.] 

Session  76, 

Oct.  17. 

Resolved 

on  the 

question. 

Ees.* 


Res. 


Sess.  79, 
Oct.  20. 


Ord.f 

Ord. 

Ord. 

Ord. 

Old. 

Ord. 


Ord. 

Ord. 
Ord. 


That  this  Assembly  shall  first  confer  and  treat  concerning 
Discipline  and  Government. 

That  this  Assembly  shall  first  take  into  considei-ation  the 
particulars  in  government,  and,  first,  concerning  church 
officers  and  offices. 

That  this  Assembly  shall  be  divided  into  three  committees 
as  before,  eacii  of  them  to  consider  of  church  officers, 
and  to  make  report  to  this  Assembly. 

Christ  (who  is  the  Priest,  Prophet,  King  and  Head  of  the 
church)  hath  fulness  of  povrer,  and  contains  all  the 
offices,  by  way  of  eminency,  in  himself,  and  hath  many 
of  their  names  attributed  to  him  in  Scripture. 

1.  It  appeareth  that  Christ  is, 

1.  A  Priest,  Psal.  ex.  4,  compared  with  Heb.  vii.  17,  27. 

2.  A  Prophet,  Deut.  xviii.  18;  Acts  iii.  22;   vii.  37. 

3.  A  King,  Zech.  ix.  9  ;  Matt.  xxi.  5  ;  Psal.  ii.  6. 

4.  A  Head,  Col.  i.  18,  19;  Eph.  i.  22. 

2.  The  fulness  of  Christ's  power  appeareth,  Isa.  ix.  6,  7 ; 

Luke  i.  32,  33  ;  x.  22  ;   Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

3.  He  contains   all   other  offices,  by  way  of  eminency,  in 

himself,  Col.  ii.  9,  10,  and  19,  compai-ed  together. 

4.  The  names  of  offices  given  to  Christ  in  Scripture.. 

1.  Apostle,  Heb.  iii.  1. 

2.  Teacher,  John  iii.  2;  xiii.  13. 

3.  Pastor  and  Bishop,  1  Pet.  ii.  25 ;  John  x.  11. 


*  "Res.,"  contraction  for  Resolved. 
t  "  Ord.,"  contraction  for  Ordered. 


Ixvil 


Ixviii       VOTES    IN    THE   WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLY. 


[1643.]  Tjj^  Preface. 

Sp88.  81,  Jesus  Christ,  upon  whose  shoulders  the  government  is, 
Oct.  23.  -whose  name  is  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Almighty 
God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace :  of  the 
increase  of  whose  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no 
end ;  who  sits  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his 
kingdom,  to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it,  with  judgment  and 
justice,  from  henceforth,  even  forever;  having  all  power 
given  to  him,  both  in  heaven  and  earth,  by  the  Father,  who 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  on  his  own  right 
hand,  far  above  all  principalities,  and  power,  and  might, 
and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in 
this  world  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come ;  and  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  Head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  Him 
that  filleth  all  in  all ;  He,  being  ascended  up  far  above  all 
heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things,  received  gifts  for  his 
church,  and  gave  all  oiScers  necessax'y  for  the  edification  of 
his  church  and  perfecting  of  his  saints. 

Sess.  82,         Some  wliereof  are  Extraordinary,  and  some  Ordinary. 

Oct.  26. 

Extraordinary  Officers. 
1.  Apostles. 

The  Characters  of  the  Apostles. 

Ord.  1.   They  were  immediately  called  of  Christ,  Luke  vi.  13 ; 

Markiii.  14;  Gal.  L  1. 

Ord.  2.  ThQj  were  such  as  had  seen  Christ,  1  Cor.  ix.  1. 

Ord.  3.   Their  commission  was  to  the  whole  world,  Matt,  xxviii. 

19;   Mark  xvi.  15. 

Ord.  4.  They  were  endued  with  a  spirit  of  infallibility  in  de- 

livering the  truths  of  doctrine  to  the  church,  John 
xvi.  13  with  John  xiv.  26;  Eph.  ii.  20. 

Ord.  5.  They  only,  by  special  commission,  were  set  apart  to  be 

personal  witnesses  of  Christ's  resurrection,  Acts  i. 
22;  X.  41. 

Ord  6.  They  had  power  to   give  the  Holy  Ghost,  Acts  viii. 

14-18 ;  xix.  6. 

Res.  7.   They  were  appointed  to  go  into  all  the  world  to  plant 

churches,  and  to  settle  in  them  a  new  form  of  wor- 
ship appointed  by  Christ,  1  Cor.  xi.  23  ;  Matt,  xxviii. 
19,  20,  and  had  their  inspection  and  care  of  all  the 
churches,  2  Cor.  xi.  28. 
Sess.  84,  8.  That  the  ajjostles  did  immediately  receive  the  keys 
Oct.  30.  from  the  hand  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  did  use  and  exer- 

cise them  in  all  the  churches  of  the  world  upon  all 
occasions. 

^Octll'  -^^^^   *®^*'    ^^^^^'  ^^^-  1^'  ^^^^^^    ^®  brought  to  prove 

Res. '  that  the  apostles  did  immediately  receive  the  author- 


VOTES  IN  THE  WESTMINSTER  ASSEMBLY.        Ixix 

[1643.]  itative  power  of  the  keys  from  the  hand  of  Jesus 

Christ. 
Bess.  86,  This  text,  John  xx.  21-23,  shall  be  brought  to  prove 

^^'  that  the  apostles  did  immediately  receive  the  author- 

Bea.  itative  power  of  the  keys  from  the  hand  of  Jesus 

Christ. 
These  texts, 
Ord.  1  Tim.  i.  20,     1  do  prove  that  the  apostles  did  use  and 

exercise  the  authoritative  power  of 
the  keys  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
world  upon  all  occasions. 
1  Cor,  iv.  ult.  compared  with  chapter  v.  3-5,  shall  be 
added  to  the  former  proof. 


Ord.  3  John  9,  10, 

Rea.  2  Cor.  x.  6, 

Ord.  2  Cor.  xiii.  1 0, 


[1644.] 
Sess.  125,  Additional  Characters  of  the  Apostles. 

Jan.  2.  ^ 

Rea.  N.C.*      9.  The    apostles    had    power  to   ordain  officers   in  all 

^^^-  churches,  proved,  Acts  vi.  3,  6. 

Sess.  126,  Acts  xiv.  23  (the  whole  verse)  shall  be  added  to  prove 

•'^^°-  ^'  that  the  apostles  had  power  to  ordain  officers  in  all 

churches. 
^j^^^'^/      10.  The  apostles  had  power  to  appoint  evangelists  to  or- 

Kea. '  dain,  proved,  Tit.  i.  5. 

gess.  129,      11'  The    apostles   had  power  to  order  and   settle  all  the 
Jan.  8.  service  and  worship  of  God  in  all  churches,  so  as 

^®^*  _  might  make  most  for  edification,  proved,  1  Cor.  xi., 

per  totum,  especially  verses  23,  28,  34;  1  Tim.  ii,  1, 
2,  8,  12 ;  2  Cor.  xi.  28 ;  1  Cor.  xiv.  26,  37,  40 ;  xvi. 
1,2. 
Ord.  12.  The  apostles  had  power  to  determine  controversies  of 
faith  and  cases  of  conscience  (in  all  churches)  viva 
voce  or  by  writing. 
Ordered.  1  Cor.  vii.  j>er  totum ;  Gal.  v.  2,  3  ;   1  Cor.  xv ;   Rom. 

iii.,  iv.,  V.  chapters  shall  be  brought  to  prove  the 
proposition. 

Sess.  87  OrDINAKY  AND   PERPETUAL   OfFICEHS. 

Nov.  2.' 

1.  Pastor. 

Res.  That  there  is  such  an  ordinary  and  perpetual  office  in 

the  church  as  a  pastor,  proved,  Jer.  iii.  15-17  (pro- 
phesying of  the  time  of  the  gospel),  1  Pet.  v.  2-4. 

Res.  Eph.  iv.  11-13,  shall  be  added  to  prove  that  there  is 

such  an  office,  and  that  it  is  perpetual. 
^Nov  ?'         ^^^*  which  the  pastor  is  to  do  from  God  to  the  people. 


*  "  N.  C.,"  contraction  for  Nemine  Contradicente. 
17 


IXX  VOTES   IN  THE   WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLY. 

[1643.]  Reading. 

Ros.  N.  C.  That  the  public  reading  of  the  word  in  the  congrega- 

tion is  an  holy  ordinance  in  God's  Church. 
Res.  That  this  shall  be  added  to  the  former  vote,  "Although 

there  follow  no  immediate  explication  of  that  which 
is  read." 
Seps.89,  That  the  public  reading  of  the  Scripture  belongs  to 

Nov.  6.  the  pastor's  office. 

Bess.  90  !•  That  the  priests  and  Levites  in  the  Jewish  church 

Nov.  7  *  were  trusted  with  the  public  reading  of  the  word,  as 

Ord-  is  proved,  Deut.  xxxi.  9-11 ;  Neh.  viii.  1,  2,  and  13 

(18). 

Ord.  2.  That  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  as  ample  a 

charge  and  commission  to  dispense  the  word,  as  well 
as  other  ordinances,  as  the  priests  and  Levites  under 
the  law,  proved,  Isa.  Ixvi.  21;  Matt,  xxiii.  34,  where 
our  Saviour  entitleth  the  officers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, whom  he  would  send  forth,  by  the  same  names 
of  the  teachers  of  the  Old. 

Ord.  These  propositions    shall   be  brought   to  prove,  That 

therefore  (the  duty  being  of  a  moral  nature)  it  fol- 
loweth  by  just  consequence,  that  the  public  reading 
of  the  Scriptures  belongs  to  the  pastor's  office. 

So88. 89,  Preaching. 

Nov.  6. 

Eee.  That  it  is  the  office  of  a  pastor,  to  feed  the  flock  by 

preaching  of  the  word,  according  to  which  he  is  to 
teach,  convince,  reprove,  exhort,  and  comfort,  1  Tim. 
iii.  2;  2  Tim.  iii.  16,  17;   Tit.  i.  9. 

Ord.  That  catechizing,  which  is  a  plain  laying  down  of  the 

first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God,  Heb.  v.  12,  or 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  is  a  part  of  preaching  per- 
taining to  the  pastor's  office. 

Bess.  91,  rpjjg  dispensation  of  other  divine  mysteries. 

Ord.  That  it  is  the  office  of  a  pastor  to  feed  the  flock  by  the 

dispensation  of  other  divine  mysteries,  proved  by 
1  Cor.  iv.  1,  2  :  the  administration  of  the  sacraments. 
Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20;  Mark  xvi.  16,  16;  1  Cor.  xi. 
23-25,  with  1  Cor.  x.  16. 

Ord.  That  he  is  to  bless  the  people  from  God,  Num.  vi. 

23-26,  with  Rev.  i.  4,  5  (where  the  same  blessings 
and  persons  from  whom  they  came  are  expressly 
mentioned),  and  Isa.  Ixvi.  21,  where,  under  the 
names  of  priests  and  Levites,  to  be  continued  under 
the  gospel,  are  meant  evangelical !  pastors,  who 
therefore  are,  by  office,  to  bless  the  people,  Deut. 
X.  8 ;  2  Cor.  xiii.  14 ;  Eph.  i.  2. 


VOTES   IN   THE   WESTMINSTER  ASSEMBLY.         Ixxi 

[1643.]  That  wHch  the  pastor  is  to  perform  in  the  behalf  and  name 

of  the  people  to  God  is, 

Ord.  To  pray  for  and  with  his  flock,  as  the  mouth  of  the 

people  unto  God,  proved,  Acts  vi.  2-4 ;  xx.  36, 
where  preaching  and  praying  are  joined,  as  several 
parts  of  the  same  of&ce.  So  James  v.  14,  15,  the 
office  of  the  elder,  that  is  the  pastor,  is  to  pray  for 
the  sick,  even  in  private,  to  which  a  blessing  is  espe- 
cially promised,  much  more,  therefore,  ought  he  to 
perform  this  in  the  public  execution  of  his  office,  as 
a  part  thereof,  1  Cor.  xiv.  15, 16. 

Sesa.  92, 

Nov.  9.  Ruling. 

Ord.  That  the  pastor  hath  a  ruling  power  over  the  flock  as  a 

pastor,  1  Tim.  v.  17 ;  Acts  xx.  17,  18  (28) ;  1  Thess. 
V.  12 ;   Heb.  xiii.  7,  17. 

Ord.  That  what  power  the  pastor  hath  in  discipline  and 

government,  either  singly  and  alone,  or  jointly  with 
others,  the  Assembly  hath  thought  fit  to  forbear  to 
set  forth  at  the  present,  until  the  particular  parts  of 
discipline  and  government  come  into  consideration ; 
so  that  whatever  his  power  therein  is  [,it]  ought  to 
be  saved  unto  him  until  the  discipline  itself  be  de- 
bated, and  his  share  therein  distinctly  set  out. 

Ord.  That  it  belongs  to  the  pastor  to  take  care  of  the  poor, 

Acts  xi.  30 ;  iv.  34-37  ;  vi.  2-4 ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  1-4 ; 
Gal.  ii.  9,  10. 

Sess.  95,     Teacher  or  Doctor. 
Nov.  14. 
Ord.  That  the  Scripture  doth  hold  out  the  name  and  title 

of  teacher,  as  well  as  of  the  pastor,  1  Cor.  xii.  28 ; 
Eph.  iv.  11. 
Sess.  96,  That  pastors  and  teachers  are  both  equal  ministers  of 

Nov  15.  the  word. 

Old. 
Sess.  97,  That  pastors  and  teachers  are  both  ministers  of  the 

''^Ord!^'  word,  and  have  power  of  administration  of  the  sa- 

craments. 
Sess.  100,  1.  That  there  be  difi"erent  gifts,  and  divers  exercises 

Nov.  21.  according   to    those   gifts,  in   the   ministers   of  the 

^^^  word,  proved,  Rom.  xii.  6-8  ;  1  Cor.  xii.  4-7. 

Ord.  2.  That  different  gifts  may  meet  in,  and  accordingly  be 

exercised  by,  one  and  the  same  minister,  1  Cor.  xiv. 
8  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  2  ;  Tit.  i.  9. 
Ord.  3.  Where  there  be  several  ministers  in  the  same  con- 

gregation, they  may  be  designed  to  several  employ- 
ments, according  to  the  diiferent  gifts  wherein  each 
of  them  doth  most  excel,  Rom.  xii.  6-8 ;  1  Pet.  iv. 
10,  11. 


Ixxii        VOTES   IN   THE   WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLY. 

[1643.]  4.  He  that  doth  more  excel  in  exposition  of  Scripture, 

Ord.  in  teaching  sound  doctrine,  and  in  convincing  gain- 

sayers,  than  he  doth  in  application,  and  is  accord- 
ingly employed  therein,  may  be  called  a  teacher  or 
doctor.  The  places  alleged  by  the  notation  of  the 
word  do  prove  the  proposition. 

Ord.  6.  A  teacher  or  doctor  is  of  most  excellent  use   in 

schools  and  universities,  as  of  old  in  the  schools  of 
the  prophets,  and  at  Jerusalem,  where  Gamaliel  and 
others  taught  as  doctors. 

Oi"4'  6.  Where  there  is  but  one  minister  in  a  particular  con- 

gregation, he  is  to  pei'form,  so  far  as  he  is  able,  the 
whole  work  of  the  ministry,  as  appears  2  Tim.  iv.2 ; 

Ord.  Tit.  i.  9,  before  alleged ;  1  Tim.  vi.  2. 

Dec.  8.  '    -^w^m^  Elder,  or  Church  Governor. 

Kes.  N.C.  1.  That  Christ  hath  instituted  a  government  and  go- 

vernors ecclesiastical  in  the  church. 

Res. N.C.  2.  That  Christ  hath  furnished  some  in  his  church  with 

gifts  for  government,  and  with  commission  to  execute 
(exercise  ?)  the  same  when  called  thereunto. 

Res.N.O.  3.  That  it  is  agreeable  to,  and  warranted  by,  the  word 

of  God,  that  some  others  besides  the  ministers  of  the 
word  be  church  governors,  to  join  with  the  ministers 
in  the  government  of  the  church. 

_  ^^^„  Kom.  xii.  7,  8 ;  1  Cor.  xii.  28,  do  confirm  all  the  pro- 

Sess.  112,  -x- 

Dec.  11.  positions. 

Res. N.C.  That  there  were  in  the  Jewish  church  elders  of  the 

Sess.  113,  people  that  were  joined  with  the  priests  and  Levitea 

'^  in  the  government  of  the  church. 

^®s.  That  2  Chron.  xix.  8-10  shall  be  brought  to  prove  this. 

Sess.  108,  Deacons. 
Dec.  5. 

Ord.  That  the  Scriptures  do  hold  out  deacons  as  distinct 
officers  in  the  church,  Phil.  i.  1 ;  1  Tim.  iii.  8. 

Sess.  116,  It  belongs  to  the  office  of  a  deacon  to  take  special  care 

j^^g^  *  in  distributing  to  the  necessity  of  the  poor,  proved, 

Res!  Acts  vi.  1-4. 
Sess.  120, 

Dec.  21.  That  the  office  of  a  deacon  is  perpetual. 

lies. 
Sess.  122, 
Dec.  28.  That  1  Tim.  iii.  8-15 ;  Acts  vi.  1-4,  shall  be  brought 

to  prove  it. 


Kes. 
Res. 


Sess.  121,  That  it  doth  not  pertain  to  the  office  of  a  deaccoi  to 

^^  ■  preach  the  word,  or  administer  the  sacraments. 

Widows. 

Seas.  123,  That  widows,  which  we  read  of  1  Tim.  v.  3,  and  else- 

Dec.  29.  where,  are  included  under  the  name  deacons. 


VOTES   IN   THE   WESTMINSTER  ASSEMBLY.      Ixxiii 


[1644.]  Ordination. 

lies.  Ordination  is  the  solemn  setting  apart  of  a  person  to 

some  public  church  office. 
Sess.132.  Num.  viii.  10,  11,  14,  19,  22,  shall  be  brought  to  prove 

lies.  •  i. 

Old.  "• 

Ord.  Acts  vi.  3,  5,  6,  shall  be  added  to  the  former  proof. 

Sess.  133.  Ordination  is  always  to  be  continued   in  the  church, 

iS:  proved,  1  Tim.  v.  21,  22 ;  Tit.  i.  5. 

Ker'N^C  T^^^  *^®  apostles  did  ordain,  proved.  Acts  vi.  6 ;  xiv. 

lies.*   "  23,  the  whole  verse. 

Kes. 
Res.N.C.  That  the  evangelists  did  ordain,  Tit.  i.  5  ;  1  Tim.  v.  22. 

lles.N.C. 

Res.  N.  C.  That  preaching  presbyters  did  ordain. 

Sess.  135.  Proved,  1  Tim.  iv.  14. 

Sess.  179.  That  no  man  ought  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  a 

Oiii.  minister  of  the  word  with  [out]  a  lawful  calling. 

Res.  John  iii.  27,       "] 

Res.  Rom.  X.  14,  15,  [shall  be  brought  to  prove  "That  no 

Res.  Jer.  xiv.  14,        {       man,"  &c. 

Res.  Heb.  V.  4,  J 

Sess.  181.  That  it  is  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  and  very  ex- 

Res.  pedient,  that  such  as  are  to  be  ordained  ministers  be 

designed  to  some  particular  church,  or  other  minis- 
terial charge. 
Sess.  182.  Proved  Acts  xiv.  23  ;  Tit.  i.  5;  Acts  xx.  17,  28. 

Sess.  183.  1,   That  he  be  duly  qualified,  both  for  life  and  minis- 

t>id-  terial  abilities,  according  to  the  rules  of  the  Apostle, 

1  Tim.  iii.  2-6 ;   Tit.  i.  5-9. 
Ord.  2.  That   he   be    examined  and  approved  of  them  by 

whom  he  is  to  be  oi'dained,  1  Tim.  iii.  7,  10 ;  v.  22. 
Ord.  3.  No  man  shall  be  ordained  a  minister  for  a  particular 

congregation  if  they  can  show  just  cause  of  excep- 
tion against  him. 
1  Tim.  iii.  2,  blameless.  Tit.  i.  7,  shall  be  brought  to 
prove  it. 
Res.N.C  4.  That  he  be  ordained  by  imposition  of  hands  and 

prayer,  with  fasting,  by  those  preaching  presbyters 
to  whom  it  doth  belong.  1  Tim.  v.  22;  Acts  xiv.  23; 
and  xiii.  3.     See  the  Acts  of  Presbytery. 

Ordination  for  the  present  Ministry  of  the  Church. 

Sess.  139.  That  in  extraordinary  cases  something  extraordinary 

Res.  may  be  done,  until  a  settled  order  can  be  had,  yet 

keeping  as  near  as  possibly  may  be  to  the  riile. 

Sess.  140.  2  Chron.  xxix.  34-36,  shall  be  brought  to  prove  it. 

Res.  _ 

Res.  2  Chron.  xxx.  2-5,  shall  be  added  to  the  former  proof. 

Sess.  141.  That  there  is  at  this  time  an  extraordinary  occasioa 

17* 


Ixxiv       VOTES   IN   THE   WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLf. 


[1644.] 

Res. 
Sess.  142. 
lies.  X.  C. 


for  [a]  way  of  ordination  for  the  present  supply  of 
ministers. 
Tliat  preaching  presbyters  may  ordain  ministers. 


Soss.  145. 
Bes.  N.  0 

Res. 

Res. 

Res. 


Presbytery. 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  out  a  presbytery  in  a  church. 

Proved,  1  Tim.  iv.  14 ;  Acts  xv.  2,  4,  6. 

A  presbytery  consisteth  of  ministers  of  the  "word,  and 
such  other  public  ofl&cers  as  have  been  already  voted 
to  have  a  share  in  the  government  of  the  church. 

That  the  Scripture  holds  forth  that  many  particular 
congregations  may  be  under  one  presbyterial  govern- 
ment. 

Proved,  First,  by  instance  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem, 
in  two  branches : 

1.  The  church  of  Jerusalem  consisted  of  more  congre- 
gations than  one,  proved, 

1.  By  the  multi-  /  1.  Believers, ")  before  ^  the  dis- 
tude  of         \  2.  Teachers,  j  after    J  persion. 

2.  Variety  of  languages. 

2.  They  were  under  one  presbyterial  government,  be- 

cause, 
(1.  Called  one  church  '\  before  "]  .^      ■,- 

2.  The  elders  of  that  church  men- 
tioned 


I  I  the  dis- 

J   after  J  Persion. 


1st  Branch. 


Sess.  160. 
Res. 


Sess.  161. 
Res. 


Sess.  163. 
Res. 


Res. 


Sess.  164. 
Res. 


The  members  (numbers)  of  believers  mentioned  in 
Acts  i.  15  ;  ii.  42  ;  iv.  4 ;  v.  14 ;  vi.  1,  7,  belonged  to 
the  church  of  Jerusalem  as  members  of  that  church. 

The  members  (numbers)  of  believers  in  the  chui'ch  of 
Jerusalem  were  more  than  could  ordinarily  meet  in 
one  place,  with  (at)  one  time,  for  the  performance 
of  all  the  acts  of  worship  and  government. 

The  many  apostles  and  other  teachers  in  the  church 
of  Jerusalem  shall  be  added  to  prove.  That  the 
church  in  Jerusalem  consisted  of  more  congregations 
than  one ;  for  if  there  were  but  one  congregation, 
then  each  apostle  preached  but  seldom,  which  will 
not  stand  with  Acts  vi.  2,  They  would  not  leave  the 
word,  &c. 

Acts  ii.  42,  46,  compared  together,  shall  be  added  to 
prove  that  there  were  more  congregations  than  one 
in  the  church  of  Jerusalem. 

The  diversity  of  languages  among  the  believers.  Acts 
ii.  and  vi.  chapters  shall  be  added  to  prove  that 
there  were  more  congregatioijs  than  one  in  the 
church  of  Jerusalem. 


VOTES   IN   THE  WESTMINSTER  ASSEMBLY.        IxxV 

[1644.]  These  words,  Acts  viii.  1,  They  were  all  scattered  abroad 

Se^.  166.  except  the  apostles,  cloth  not  imply  such  a  scattering 

^'  as  that  there  might  not  remain  more  congregations 

than  one  in  the  church  of  Jerusalem,  after  the  dis- 
persion in  the  church  of  Jerusalem. 
Sess.  167.  Acts  ix.  31,  shall  be  brought  to  prove  the  multitude  of 

•  believers  after  the  dispersion. 

Res.  Acts  xii.  24,  shall  be  added  to  prove  a  further  addition 

of  believers  to  the  church  of  Jerusalem  after  the 
dispersion. 
B«8.  Acts  xxi.  20,  shall  be  added  to  the  former  proof. 

Sess.  165.    2d  Branch. 

Kes.  Acts  viii.  1,  1  proves    that    the    several   congre- 

Res.  Acts  ii.  ult.  comp.  V  gations    in    Jerusalem    were    but 

with  chap.  v.  11,  J  one  church. 
Sess.  168.  Acts  xii.  5 ;  xv.  4,  shall  be  added,  to  prove  that  the 

several  congregations  in  Jerusalem,  after  the  disper- 
sion, were  but  one  church. 

Res.  The  elders  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem  are  mentioned 

Acts  xi.  ult. ;  XV.  4,  6,  22  ;   and  xxi.  17,  18. 
Sess.  171.  That  the  apostles  did  the  ordinary  acts  of  presbyters, 

as  presbyters  in  the  church  of  Jerusalem ;   and  this 
shall  be  brought  to  prove  that  there  was  a  presbyte- 
rial  government  in  the  church  of  Jerusalem  before 
the  dispersion. 
Sess.  174.  The  several  congregations  in  Jerusalem  being  but  one 

*^®^'  church,  and  the  elders  of  that  church  being  men- 

tioned as  meeting  together  for  acts  of  government, 
do  prove  that  those  several  congregations  were 
under  one  presbyterial  government. 

Res.  Acts  xi.  ult.,  and  xxi.  17,  18,  and  the  verses  following, 

shall  be  brought  to  prove  that  clause  in  the  proposi- 
tion, "Elders  meeting  together  for  acts  of  govern- 
ment." 
Sess.  175.  Acts  XV.  4,  6,  22,  shall  be  brought  to  prove  that  clause 

^®^'  in  the  former  proposition,  ''Elders  meeting  together 

for  acts  of  government." 

Res.  That  the  instance  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem  shall  be 

brought  to  prove  that  the  Scripture  holds  forth  that 
many  particular  congregations  may  be  under  one 
presbyterial  government. 

Acts  of  Presbttebt. 
Sess.  184.  Ordination  is  the  act  of  a  presbytery,  1  Tim.  iv.  14. 

Sess.  186.  The  power  of  ordering  the  whole  act  of  ordination  is 

^^®^-  in  the  whole  presbytery. 


Ixxvi       VOTES   IN    THE   WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLY. 

[1644.]  The  preaching  presbyters  orderly  associated,  either  in 

Kea.  cities  or  in  neighbouring  villages,  are  those  to  whom 

the   imposition  of   hands  doth  appertain,  for  those 
congregations  within  their  bounds  respectively. 

Sic  suhscrib.         Henry  RoBKoroH,  Scribe. 
Adoniram  Byfield,  Scribe. 

[Indorsed  Copied  from  an  original  copy,  signed  as  above,  among 

^  ^^y     ,  Mr.  Gillespie's  papers.  R.  W. 


THE  FORM 

OF 

PEESBYTEEIAL   CHUEGH   GOVEENIENT 


AGREED    UPON   BY  THE    ASSEMBLY   OF  DIVINES  AT 

WESTMINSTER;     EXAMINED     AND    APPROVED, 

ANNO  1645,  BY  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY 

OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  SCOTLAND,  etc. 


THE    CONTENTS    OF    THE    FORM   OF    PRESBYTBRIAL    CHURCH 
GOVERNMENT. 

The  preface.  Of     congregational     assemblies, 

Of  the  Church.  that   is,   the    meeting  of   the 

Of  the  officers  of  the  Church.  ruling  officers  of  a  particular 

Pastors.  congregation  for  the    govern- 

Teacher  or  doctor.  ment  thereof. 

Other  Church  governors.  Of  classical  assemblies. 

Deacons.  Of  synodical  assemblies. 

Of  particular  congregations.  Of  ordination  of  ministers. 

Of  the  officers  of  a  particular  Touching  the  doctrine  of  ordina- 

congregation.  tion. 

Of  the  ordinances  in  a  particu-  Touching  the  power  of   ordina- 

lar  congregation.  tion. 

Of    Church   government,    and  Concerning    the    doctrinal    part 

the  several  sorts  of  assem-  of   the    ordination    of    minis- 

blies  of  the  same.  ters. 

Of  the  power  in  common  of  all  The  directory  for  the  ordination 

these  assemblies.  of  ministers. 

THE   PREFACE. 

Jesus  Christ,  upon  whose  shoulders  the  government 
is,  whose  name  is  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of 
Peace,*  of  the  increase  of  whose  government  and  peace 
there  shall  be  no  end,  who  sits  upon  the  throne  of  David, 

*  Isa.  ix.  6. 

IzzvU 


Ixxviii      PRESBYTERML  CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it,  and  to  establlsli  it 
with  judgment  and  justice,  from  henceforth  even  for- 
ever, having  all  power  given  unto  him  even  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  by  the  Father,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead 
and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,  far  above  all  princi- 
palities, and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every 
name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in 
that  which  is  to  come,  and  put  all  things  under  his  feet, 
and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that 
filleth  all  in  all;  he  being  ascended  up  far  above  all 
heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things,  received  gifts  for 
his  Church,  and  gave  offices  necessary  for  the  edification 
of  his  Church  and  perfecting  of  his  saints. 

Of  the  Church. 

There  is  one  general  Church  visible  held  forth  in  the 
New  Testament,  1  Cor.  xii.  12, 1 3,  28,  together  with  the 
rest  of  the  chapter. 

The  ministry,  oracles,  and  ordinances  of  the  New 
Testament,  given  by  Jesus  Christ  to  the  general  Church 
visible  for  the  gathering  and  perfecting  of  it  in  this 
life,  until  his  second  coming,  1  Cor.  xii.  28 ;  Eph.  iv.  4, 
5,  compared  with  ver.  10—16  of  the  same  chapter. 

Particular  visible  Churches,  members  of  the  general 
Church,  are  also  held  forth  in  the  New  Testament,  Gal. 
i.  21,  22 ;  Rev.  i.  4,  20,  and  Rev.  ii.  1.  Particular 
Churches,  in  the  primitive  times,  were  made  up  of  visible 
saints, — viz. :  of  such  as,  being  of  age,  professed  faith 
in  Christ,  and  obedience  unto  Christ,  according  to  the 
rules  of  faith  and  life  taught  by  Christ  and  his  apostles; 
and  of  their  children.  Acts  ii.  38,  41,  and  ver.  last,  com- 
pared with  V.  14 ;  1  Cor.  i.  2,  compared  with  2  Cor.  ix. 
13;  Acts  ii.  39;  1  Cor.  vii.  14;  Rom.  ix.  16,  and  so 
forward ;  Mark  x.  14  compared  with  Matt.  xix.  13,  14 ; 
Luke  xviii.  15,  16.* 

*Matt.  xxviii.  18-20;  Eph.  i.  20-22,  compared  with  iv.  8-11,  and 
Psalm  Ixviii.  18. 


PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.         Ixxix 


Of  the  Officers  of  the  Church. 

The  officers  which  Christ  hath  appointed  for  the  edi- 
fication of  his  Church  and  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
are, 

Some  extraordinary,  as  apostles,  evangelists,  and 
prophets,  which  are  ceased. 

Others  ordinary  and  perpetual,  as  pastors,  teachers, 
and  other  Church  governors  and  deacons. 

Pastors. 

.  The  pastor  is  an  ordinary  and  perpetual  officer  in  the 
Church:  Jer.  iii.  15-17;  prophesying  of  the  time  of 
the  gospel,  1  Pet.  v.  2-4 ;  Eph.  iv.  11-13. 

Pirst,  it  belongs  to  his  office 

To  pray  for  and  with  his  flock,  as  the  mouth  of  the 
people  unto  God,  Acta  vi.  2-4 ;  Aets  xx.  36 ;  where 
preaching  and  prayer  are  joined  as  several  parts  of  the 
same  office,  James  v.  15.  The  office  of  the  elder,  that 
is,  the  pastor,  is  to  pray  for  the  sick,  even  in  private,  to 
which  a  blessing  is  especially  promised;  much  more, 
therefore,  ought  he  to  perform  this  in  the  public  execu- 
tion of  his  office,  as  a  part  thereof,  1  Cor.  xiv.  15,  16. 

To  read  the  Scriptures  publicly;  for  the  proof  of 
which, 

1.  That  the  priests  and  Levites  in  the  Jewish  Church 
were  trusted  with  the  public  reading  of  the  word,  as  is 
proved  Deut.  xxxi.  9-11 ;  Neh.  viii.  1,  2,  13. 

2.  That  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  as  ample  a 
charge  and  commission  to  dispense  the  word,  as  well  as 
other  ordinances,  as  the  priests  and  Levites  had  under 
the  law,  proved  Isa.  Ixvi.  21,  and  Matt,  xxiii.  34,  where 
our  Saviour  entitleth  the  officers  of  the  New  Testament, 
whom  he  will  send  forth  by  the  same  names  as  the 
teachers  of  the  old. 

Which  propositions  prove  that  therefore  (the  duty 
being  of  a  moral  nature)  it  followeth  by  just   conse- 


IXXX  PRESBYTERIAL    CUURCH    GOVERNMENT. 

quence  that  the  public  reading  of  the  Scriptures  be- 
longeth  to  the  pastor's  office. 

To  feed  the  flock  by  preaching  of  the  word,  according 
to  which  he  is  to  teach,  convince,  reprove,  exhort,  and 
comfort.     1  Tim.  iii.  2 ;  2  Tim.  iii.  16,  17 ;  Tit.  i.  9. 

To  catechize,  which  is  a  plain  laying  down  the  first 
principles  of  the  oracles  of  God,  Heb.  v.  12,  or  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  and  is  a  part  of  preaching. 

To  dispense  other  Divine  mysteries,  1  Cor.  iv.  1,  2. 

To  administer  the  sacraments.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20 ; 
Mark  xvi.  15,  16;  1  Cor.  xi.  23-25,  compared  with 
X.  16. 

To  bless  the  people  from  God,  Num.  vi.  23-26,  com- 
pared with  Rev.  xiv.  5,  (where  the  same  blessings,  and 
persons  from  whom  they  come,  are  expressly  mentioned ;) 
Isa.  Ixvi.  21,  where,  under  the  names  of  priests  and 
Levites  to  be  continued  under  the  gospel,  are  meant 
evangelical  pastors,  who,  therefore,  are  by  office  to  bless 
the  people,  Deut.  x.  8 ;  2  Cor.  xiii.  14 ;  Eph.  i.  2. 

To  take  care  of  the  poor.  Acts  xi.  30,  iv.  34-37,  vi. 
2-4;  1  Cor.  xvi.  1-4;  Gal.  ii.  9,  10. 

And  he  hath  also  a  ruling  power  over  the  flock  as  a 
pastor,  1  Tim.  v.  17;  Acts  xx.  17,  28;  1  Thess.  v.  12; 
Heb.  xiii.  7,  17. 

Teacher  or  Doctor, 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  out  the  name  and  title 
of  teacher  as  well  as  of  pastor,  1  Cor.  xii.  28;  Eph. 
iv.  11. 

Who  is  also  a  minister  of  the  word  as  well  as  the 
pastor,  and  hath  power  of  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments. 

The  Lord  having  given  difierent  gifts  and  divers  ex- 
ercises according  to  these  gifts,  in  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  Rom.  xii.  6-8;  1  Cor.  xii.  1,  4-7,  though  these 
diff'erent  gifts  may  meet  in,  and  accordingly  be  exercised 
by,  one  and  the  same  minister,  1  Cor.  xiv.  3 ;  2  Tim.  iv. 
2 ;  Tit.  i.  9 ;  yet,  where  be  several  ministers  in  the  same 
congregation,  they  may  be  designed  to  several  employ- 


PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.         Ixxxi 

ments,  according  to  the  diiFerent  gifts  in  wliich  each  of 
them  doth  most  excel,  Rom.  xii.  6-8 ;  1  Pet.  iv.  10,  11. 
And  he  that  doth  more  excel  in  exposition  of  Scriptures, 
in  teaching  sound  doctrine,  and  in  convincing  gainsayers, 
than  he  doth  in  application,  and  is  accordingly  employed 
therein,  may  be  called  a  teacher  or  doctor,  (the  places 
alleged  by  the  notation  of  the  word  do  prove  the  propo- 
sition ;)  nevertheless,  where  is  but  one  minister  in  a 
particular  congregation,  he  is  to  perform,  so  far  as  he  is 
able,  the  whole  work  of  the  ministry,  as  appeareth  in 
2  Tim.  vi.  2 ;  Tit.  i.  9,  before  alleged,  1  Tim.  vi.  2, 

A  teacher  or  doctor  is  of  most  excellent  use  in  schools 
and  universities ;  as  of  old  in  the  schools  of  the 
prophets  and  at  Jerusalem,  where  Gamaliel  and  others 
taught  as  doctors. 

Other  Church  Crovernors. 

As  there  were  in  the  Jewish  Church  elders  of  the 
people  joined  with  the  priests  and  Levites  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Church,  (as  appeareth  in  1  Chron.  xix.  8-10,) 
so  Christ,  who  hath  instituted  a  government  and  go- 
vernors ecclesiastical  in  the  Church,  hath  furnished 
some  in  his  Church,  besides  the  ministers  of  the  word, 
with  gifts  for  government  and  with  commission  to  execute 
the  same  when  called  thereunto,  who  are  to  join  with 
the  minister  in  the  government  of  the  Church,  Rom. 
xii.  7,  8 ;  1  Cor.  xii.  28,  which  officers  Reformed  Churches 
commonly  call  elders. 

Deacons. 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  out  deacons  as  distinct 
officers  in  the  Church.     Phil.  i.  1 ;  1  Tim.  iii.  8. 

Whose  office  is  perpetual.  1  Tim.  iii.  8  to  verse  15 ; 
Acts  vi.  1-4.  To  whose  office  it  belongs  not  to  preach 
the  word  or  administer  the  sacraments,  but  to  take  spe- 
cial care  in  distributing  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor. 
Acts  vi.  1-4,  and  the  verses  following. 

18 


Ixxxii        PRESBTTERIAL   CHURCH    GOVERNMENT. 

Of  Particular  Congregations. 

It  is  lawful  and  expedient  that  there  be  fixed  congre- 
gations, that  is,  a  certain  company  of  Christians  to  meet 
in  one  assembly  ordinarily  for  public  worship.  When 
believers  multiply  to  such  a  number  that  they  cannot 
conveniently  meet  in  one  place,  it  is  lawful  and  expe- 
dient that  they  should  be  divided  into  distinct  and  fixed 
congregations,  for  the  better  administration  of  such 
ordinances  as  belong  unto  them,  and  the  discharge  of 
mutual  duties.  1  Cor.  xiv.  26:  "Let  all  things  be  done 
unto  edifying,"  and  33  and  40. 

The  ordinary  way  of  dividing  Christians  into  distinct 
congregations,  and  most  expedient  for  edification,  is  by 
the  respective  bounds  of  their  dwellings. 

1st.  Because  they  who  dwell  together,  being  bound  to 
all  kind  of  moral  duties  one  to  another,  have  the  better 
opportunity  thereby  to  discharge  them ;  which  moral 
tie  is  perpetual,  for  Christ  came  not  to  destroy  the  law, 
but  to  fulfil  it.     Deut.  xv.  7,  11 ;  Matt.  xxii.  39,  v.  17. 

2dly.  The  communion  of  saints  must  be  so  ordered  as 
may  stand  with  the  most  convenient  use  of  the  ordinances 
and  discharge  of  moral  duties,  without  respect  of  per- 
sons. 1  Cor.  xiv.  26 :  "  Let  all  things  be  done  unto 
edifying."     Ileb.  x.  24,  25;  James  ii.  1,  2. 

3dly.  The  pastor  and  people  must  so  nearly  cohabit 
together  as  that  they  may  mutually  perform  their  duties 
each  to  other  with  most  conveniency. 

In  this  company  some  must  be  set  apart  to  bear  office. 

Of  the  Officers  of  a  Particular  Congregation. 

'For  officers  in  a  single  congregation  there  ought  to 
be  one,  at  the  least,  both  to  labour  in  the  word  and  doc- 
trine and  to  rule.  Prov.  xxix.  18  ;  1  Tim.  v.  17  ;  Heb. 
xiii.  7. 

It  is  also  requisite  that  there  should  be  others  to  join 
in  government.     1  Cor.  xii.  28. 

And  likewise  it  is  requisite   that  there   should   be 


PRESBYTERIAL    CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.       Ixxxiii 

Others  to  take  special  care  for  the  relief  of  the  poor. 
Acts  vi.  2,  3. 

The  number  of  each  of  which  is  to  be  proportioned 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  congregation. 

These  officers  are  to  meet  together  at  convenient  and 
set  times,  for  the  well  ordering  the  affairs  of  that  con- 
gregation, each  according  to  his  office. 

It  is  most  expedient  that,  in  these  meetings,  one  whose 
office  is  to  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine  do  moderate 
in  their  proceedings.     1  Tim.  v.  17. 

Of  the  Ordiyiances  m  a  Particular  Congregation. 

The  ordinances  in  a  single  congregation  are,  prayer, 
thanksgiving,  and  singing  of  psalms,  (1  Tim.  ii.  1 ;  1  Cor. 
xiv.  15,  16,)  the  word  read,  (although  there  follow  no 
immediate  explication  of  what  is  read,)  the  word  ex- 
pounded and  applied,  catechizing,  the  sacraments  ad- 
ministered, collection  made  for  the  poor,  dismissing  the 
people  with  a  blessing. 

Of  Church   Government^  and  the  several  sorts  of  As- 
semblies for  the  same. 

Christ  hath  instituted  a  government,  and  governors 
ecclesiastical  in  the  Church ;  to  that  purpose  the  apos- 
tles did  immediately  receive  the  keys  from  the  hand  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  did  use  and  exercise  them  in  all  the 
Churches  of  the  world,  and  upon  all  occasions. 

And  Christ  hath  since  continually  furnished  some  in 
his  Church  with  gifts  of  government,  and  with  com- 
mission to  execute  the  same  when  called  thereunto. 

It  is  lawful  and  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  that 
the  Church  be  governed  by  several  sorts  of  assemblies, 
which  are  congregational,  classical,  and  synodical. 

Of  the  Power  in  Common  of  all  these  Assemblies. 

It  is  lawful  and  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  that 
the  several  assemblies  before  mentioned  have  power  to 


Ixxxiv      PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH    GOVERNMENT. 

convene  and  call  before  them  any  person  -within  their 
several  bounds  whom  the  ecclesiastical  business  which  is 
before  them  doth  concern ;  proved  by  Matt,  xviii. 

They  have  the  power  to  hear  and  determine  such  causes 
and  differences  as  do  orderly  come  before  them. 

It  is  lawful  and  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  that  all 
the  said  assemblies  have  some  power  to  dispense  Church 
censures. 

Of  Congregational  Assemblies^  that  is,  the  3Ieeting  of 
the  ruling  Officers  of  a  particular  Congregation  for 
the  Crovernment  thereof. 

The  ruling  officers  of  a  particular  congregation  have 
power,  authoritatively,  to  call  before  them  any  member 
of  the  congregation,  as  they  shall  see  just  occasion. 

To  inquire  into  the  knowledge  and  spiritual  estate  of 
the  several  members  of  the  congregation. 

To  admonish  and  rebuke. 

"Which  three  branches  are  proved  by  Heb.  xiii.  17; 
1  Thess.  V.  12,  13 ;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  4. 

Authoritative  suspension  from  the  Lord's  Table  of  a 
person  not  yet  cast  out  of  the  Church,  is  agreeable  to 
the  Scripture  : 

1st.  Because  the  ordinance  itself  must  not  be  profaned. 

2dly.  Because  we  are  charged  to  withdraw  from  those 
that  walk  disorderly. 

3dly.  Because  of  the  great  sin  and  danger,  both  to 
him  that  comes  unworthily,  and  also  to  the  whole 
Church.  Matt.  vii.  6;  2  Thess.  iii.  6,  14,  15 ;  1  Cor. 
xi.  27  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  compared  with  Jude 
23  ;  1  Tim.  v.  22.  And  there  was  power  and  authority, 
under  the  Old  Testament,  to  keep  unclean  persons  from 
holy  things.   Lev.  xiii.  5  ;  Num.  ix.  7  ;  2  Chron.  xxiii.  19. 

The  like  power  and  authority,  by  way  of  analogy, 
continues  under  the  New  Testament. 

The  ruling  officers  of  a  particular  congregation  have 
power  authoritatively  to  suspend  from  the  Lord's  Table 
a  person  not  yet  cast  out  of  the  Church. 


PEESBTTERIAL    CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.        IxxxV 

1st.  Because  those  who  have  authority  to  judge  of 
and  admit  such  as  are  fit  to  receive  the  sacrament, 
have  authority  to  keep  back  such  as  shall  be  found  un- 
worthy. 

2dly.  Because  it  is  an  ecclesiastical  business  of  ordi- 
nary practice,  belonging  to  that  congregation. 

When  congregations  are  divided  and  fixed,  they  need 
all  mutual  help  one  from  another,  both  in  regard  to  their 
intrinsic  weaknesses  and  mutual  dependence,  as  also  in 
rcfifard  of  enemies  from  without. 


■'to" 


Of  Classical  Asse7nhlies. 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  out  a  presbytery  in  the 
Church,  both  in  the  First  Epistle  to  Timothy  iv.  14,  and 
in  Acts  XV.  2,  4,  6. 

A  presbytery  consisteth  of  ministers  of  the  word,  and 
such  other  public  officers  as  are  agreeable  to,  and  war- 
ranted by,  the  word  of  God,  to  be  Church  governors,  to 
join  with  the  ministers  in  the  government  of  the  Church, 
as  appeareth  Rom.  xii.  7,  8;  1  Cor.  xii.  28. 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  forth  that  many  particular 
congregations  may  be  under  one  presbyterial  govern- 
ment. 

This  proposition  is  proved  by  instances  : 

1.  First.  Of  the  Church  of  Jerusalem,  which  consisted 
of  more  congregations  than  one,  and  all  these  congre- 
gations were  under  one  presbyterial  government. 

This  appeareth  thus : 

1.  First.  The  Church  of  Jerusalem  consisted  of  more 
congregations  than  one,  as  is  manifest, 

1st.  By  the  multitude  of  believer*  mentioned  in  di- 
vers places,  both  before  the  dispersion  of  the  believers 
there  by  the  persecution  (mentioned  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  chap.  viii. ;  in  the  beginning  thereof,  witness 
chap.  i.  verse  11,  ii.  41,  46,  47,  iv.  4,  v.  14,  and  vi.  of 
the  same  book  of  the  Acts,  verses  1  and  7,)  and  also 
after  the  dispersion,  ix.  31,  xii.  24,  and  xxi.  20,  of  th^ 
same  book. 

18* 


IxXXvi      PRESBYTERIAL    CHURCH    GOVERNMENT. 

Sdly.  By  the  many  apostles  and  other  preachers  in 
the  Church  of  Jerusalem,  and  if  there  were  but  one 
congregation  there  then  each  apostle  preached  but  sel- 
dom, which  will  not  consist  with  chap.  vi.  verse  2  of  the 
same  book  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

8dly.  The  diversity  of  languages  among  the  believers, 
mentioned  both  in  the  second  and  sixth  chapters  of  the 
Acts,  doth  argue  more  congregations  than  one  in  that 
Church. 

2.  Secondly.  All  those  congregations  were  under  one 
presbyterial  government ;  because,  1st,  they  were  one 
Church,  Acts  viii.  1,  ii.  47,  compared  with  v.  11,  xii.  5, 
and  XV.  4,  of  the  same  book. 

2dly.  The  elders  of  the  Church  are  mentioned.  Acts 
xi.  30,  XV.  4,  6,  22,  and  xxi.  17,  18,  of  the  same  book. 

3dly.  The  apostles  did  the  ordinary  acts  of  pres- 
byters, as  presbyters  in  that  kirk ;  which  proveth  a 
presbyterial  church  before  the  dispersion.     Acts  vi. 

4thly.  The  several  congregations  in  Jerusalem  being 
one  church,  the  elders  of  that  church  are  mentioned  as 
meeting  together  for  acts  of  government,  (Acts  xi.  30, 
XV.  4,  6,  22,  and  xxi.  17,  18,  and  so  forward,)  which 
proves  that  those  several  congregations  were  under  one 
presbyterial  government. 

And  whether  these  congregations  were  fixed  or  not 
fixed  in  regard  of  officers  or  members,  it  is  all  one  as  to 
the  truth  of  the  proposition. 

Nor  doth  there  appear  any  material  difference  be- 
twixt the  several  congregations  in  Jerusalem  and  the 
many  congregations  now  in  the  ordinary  condition  of 
the  Church  as  to  the  point  of  fixedness  required  of 
officers  or  members. 

8.  Thirdly.  Therefore  the  Scripture  doth  hold  forth 
that  many  congregations  may  be  under  one  presbyterial 
government. 

II.  Secondly.  By  the  instance  of  the  Church  of 
Ephesus ;  for, 

1.  That  there  were  more  congregations  than  one  in 
the  Church  of  Ephesus  appears  by  Acts  xx.  31,  where 


PRESBYTERIAL    CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.      Ixxxvii 

is  mention  of  Paul's  continuance  at  Epliesus  in  preach- 
ing for  the  space  of  three  years ;  and  Acts  xix.  18-20, 
where  the  special  effect  of  the  word  is  mentioned ;  and 
verses  10  and  17  of  the  same  chapter,  where  is  a  dis- 
tinction of  Jews  and  Greeks ;  and  1  Cor.  xvl.  8,  9, 
where  is  a  reason  of  Paul's  stay  at  Ephesus  until  Pen- 
tecost ;  and  verse  19,  where  is  mention  of  a  particular 
church  in  the  house  of  Aquilla  and  Priscilla,  then  at 
Ephesus,  as  appears  Acts  xviii.  19,  24,  26, — all  which, 
laid  together,  doth  prove  that  the  multitude  of  believers 
did  make  more  congregations  than  one  in  the  Church 
of  Ephesus. 

2.  That  there  were  many  elders  over  these  many 
congregations,  as  one  flock,  appeareth  Acts  xx.  17,  25, 
28,  30,  36,  37. 

3.  That  these  many  congregations  were  one  church, 
and  that  the}''  were  under  one  presbyterial  government, 
appeareth  Rev.  ii.,  the  first  six  verses,  joined  with  Acts 
XX.  17,  18. 

Of  Synodical  Assemblies. 

The  Scripture  doth  hold  out  another  sort  of  assem- 
blies for  the  government  of  the  Church  besides  classical 
and  congregational,  all  which  we  call  synodical.  (Acts 
XV.)  Pastors  and  teachers  and  other  church  governors 
(as  also  other  fit  persons,  when  it  shall  be  deemed  expe- 
dient) are  members  of  those  assemblies  which  we  call 
synodical  where  they  have  a  lawful  calling  thereunto. 

Synodical  assemblies  may  lawfully  be  of  several 
sorts,  as  provincial,  national,  and  oecumenical. 

It  is  lawful  and  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God  that 
there  be  a  subordination  of  congregational,  classical, 
provincial,  and  national  assemblies,  for  the  government 
of  the  Church. 

OF   THE    ORDINATION    OF    MINISTERS. 

Under  the  head  of  ordination  of  ministers  is  to  be 
considered  either  the  doctrine  of  ordination  or  the 
power  of  it. 


Ixxxviii    PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 


Touching  the  Doctrine  of  Ordination. 

No  man  ought  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  a  mi- 
nister of  the  word  without  a  lawful  calling.  John  iii. 
27;  Rom.  x.  14,  15;  Jer.  xiv.  14;  Heb.  v.  4. 

Ordination  is  alwa3^s  to  be  continued  in  the  Church. 
Tit.  i.  5  ;  1  Tim.  v.  21,  22. 

Ordination  is  the  solemn  setting  apart  of  a  person  to 
some  public  church-office.  Num.  viii.  10,  11,  14,  19, 
22 ;  Acts  vi.  3,  5,  6. 

Every  minister  of  the  word  is  to  be  ordained  by  im- 
position of  hands  and  prayer,  with  fasting,  by  those 
preaching  presbyters  to  whom  it  doth  belong.  1  Tim. 
V.  12 ;  Acts  iv.  23,  and  xiii.  3. 

It  is  agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  and  very  expe- 
dient, that  such  as  are  to  be  ordained  ministers  be  de- 
signed to  some  particular  church,  or  other  ministerial 
charge.     Acts  xiv.  23  ;  Tit.  i.  5  ;  Acts  xx.  17,  28. 

He  that  is  to  be  ordained  minister  must  be  duly 
qualified,  both  for  life  and  ministerial  abilities,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  tlie  apostle.  1  Tim.  iii.  2-6 ;  Tit.  i. 
5-9. 

He  is  to  be  examined  and  approved  by  those  by  whom 
he  is  to  be  ordained.     1  Tim.  iii.  7,  10,  and  v.  22. 

No  man  is  to  be  ordained  a  minister  for  a  particular 
congregation  if  they  of  that  congregation  can  show 
just  cause  of  exception  against  him.  1  Tim.  iii.  2 ; 
Tit.  i.  7. 

Touching  the  Power  of  Ordination. 

Ordination  is  the  act  of  a  presbytery.  (1  Tim.  iv.  14.) 
The  power  of  ordering  the  whole  work  of  ordination  is 
in  the  whole  presbytery,  which,  when  it  is  over  more 
congregations  than  one,  whether  those  congregations 
be  fixed  or  not  fixed  in  regard  of  officers  or  members, 
it  is  indifierent  as  to  the  point  of  ordination.  1  Tim. 
iv.  14. 

It  is  very  requisite  that  no  single  congregation  that 


PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.      Ixxxix 

can  conveniently  associate  do  assume  to  itself  all  and 
sole  power  in  ordination. 

1.  Because  there  is  no  example  in  Scripture  that  any- 
single  congregation,  which  might  conveniently  associate, 
did  assume  to  itself  all  and  sole  power  in  ordination ; 
neither  is  there  any  rule  which  may  warrant  such  a 
practice. 

2.  Because  there  is  in  Scripture  example  of  an  ordi- 
nation in  a  presbytery  over  divers  congregations  :  as  in 
the  Church  of  Jerusalem,  where  were  many  congrega- 
tions, these  many  congregations  were  under  one  pres- 
bytery, and  this  presbytery  did  ordain. 

The  preaching  presbyters  orderly  associated,  either 
in  cities  or  neighbouring  villages,  are  those  to  whom 
the  imposition  of  hands  doth  appertain  for  those  con- 
gregations within  their  bounds  respectively. 

CONCERNING    THE    DOCTRINAL    PART   OF   ORDINATION   OP 

MINISTERS. 

1.  No  man  ought  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  a 
minister  of  the  word  without  a  lawful  calling.  John 
iii.  27  ;  Rom.  x.  14,  15  ;  Jer.  xiv.  14 ;  Heb.  v.  4. 

2.  Ordination  is  always  to  be  continued  in  the  Church. 
Tit.  i.  5 ;  1  Tim.  v.  21,  22. 

3.  Ordination  is  the  solemn  setting  apart  of  a  person 
to  some  public  church-office.  Num.  viii.  10,  11,  14,  19, 
22 ;  Acts  vi.  3,  5,  6. 

4.  Every  riinister  of  the  word  is  to  be  ordained  by 
imposition  of  hands  and  prayer,  with  fasting,  by  those 
preaching  presbyters  to  whom  it  doth  belong.  1  Tim. 
V.  22 ;  Acts  xiv.  23,  xiii.  3. 

5.  The  power  of  ordering  the  whole  work  of  ordina- 
tion is  in  the  whole  presbytery,  which,  when  it  is  over 
more  congregations  than  one,  whether  those  congre- 
gations be  fixed  or  not  fixed  in  regard  of  officers  or 
members,  it  is  indifi'erent  as  to  the  point  of  ordination. 
1  Tim.  iv.  14. 

6.  It  is  agreeable  to  the  word,  and  very  expedient, 


XC  PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

that  sucli  as  are  to  "be  ordained  ministers  be  designed 
to  some  particular  church,  or  other  ministerial  charge. 
Acts  xiv.  23  ;  Tit.  i.  5  ;  Acts  xx.  17,  28. 

7.  He  that  is  to  be  ordained  minister  must  be  duly 
qualified,  both  for  life  and  ministerial  abilities,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  the  apostle.  1  Tim.  iii.  2-6  ;  Tit.  i. 
5-9. 

8.  He  is  to  be  examined  and  approved  of  by  those 
by  whom  he  is  to  be  ordained.     1  Tim.  iii.  7,  10,  v.  22. 

9.  No  man  is  to  be  ordained  a  minister  for  a  particu- 
lar congregation  if  they  of  that  congregation  can  show 
just  cause  of  exception  against  him.  1  Tim.  iii.  2 ; 
Tit.  i.  7. 

10.  Preaching  presbyters  orderly  associated,  either 
in  cities  or  neighbouring  villages,  are  those  to  whom 
the  imposition  of  hands  do  appertain  for  those  congre- 
gations within  their  bounds  respectively.    1  Tim.  iv.  14. 

11.  In  extraordinary  cases  something  extraordinary 
may  be  done  until  a  settled  order  may  be  had,  yet 
keeping  as  near  as  possible  may  be  to  the  rule. 
2  Chron.  xxix.  34-36,  xxx.  2-5. 

12.  There  is  at  this  time  (as  we  humbly  conceive)  an 
extraordinary  occasion  for  a  way  of  ordination  for  the 
present  supply  of  ministers. 

The  Directory  for  the  Ordination  of  Ministers. 

It  being  manifest  by  the  word  of  God  that  no  man 
ought  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  a  m  inister  of  the 
gospel  until  he  be  lawfully  called  and  oi  dained  there- 
unto, and  that  the  work  of  ordination  is  to  be  per- 
formed with  all  due  care,  wisdom,  gravity,  and  so- 
lemnity, we  humbly  tender  these  directions  as  requisite 
to  be  observed. 

1.  He  that  is  to  be  ordained,  being  either  nominated 
by  the  people  or  otherwise  commended  to  the  presby- 
tery for  any  place,  must  address  himself  to  the  presby- 
tery, and  bring  with  him  a  testimonial  of  his  taking  the 
Covenant  of  the  three  kingdoms ;  of  his  diligence  and 


PRESBYTEBIAL   CHURCH    GOVERNMENT.  XCl 

proficiency  in  his  studies ;  what  degrees  he  hath  taken 
in  the  university,  and  what  hath  been  the  time  of  his 
abode  there ;  and,  withal,  of  his  age,  which  is  to  be 
twenty-four  years;  but  especially  of  his  life  and  con- 
versation. 

2.  Which  being  considered  by  the  presbytery,  they 
are  to  proceed  to  inquire  touching  the  grace  of  God  in 
him,  and  whether  he  be  of  such  holiness  of  life  as  is 
requisite  in  a  minister  of  the  gospel ;  and  to  examine 
him  touching  his  learning  and  sufficiency,  and  touching 
the  evidences  of  his  calling  to  the  holy  ministry,  and, 
in  particular,  his  fair  and  direct  calling  to  that  place. 

THE   RULES    FOR    EXAMINATION   ARE   THESE. 

1.  That  the  party  examined  be  dealt,  withal,  in  a 
brotherly  way,  with  mildness  of  spirit,  and  with  special 
respect  to  the  gravity,  modesty,  and  quality  of  every 
one. 

2.  He  shall  be  examined  touching  his  skill  in  the 
original  tongues,  and  his  trial  to  be  made  by  reading 
the  Hebrew  and  Greek  Testaments,  and  rendering  some 
portion  of  some  into  Latin ;  and  if  he  be  defective  in 
them,  inquiry  shall  be  made  more  strictly  after  his 
other  learning,  and  whether  he  hath  skill  in  logic  and 
philosophy. 

3.  What  authors  in  divinity  he  hath  read  and  is  best 
acquainted  with.  And  trial  shall  be  made  in  his  know- 
ledge of  the  grounds  of  religion,  and  of  his  ability  to 
defend  the  orthodox  doctrine  contained  in  them  against 
all  unsound  and  erroneous  opinions,  especially  those  of 
the  present  age ;  of  his  skill  in  the  sense  and  meaning 
of  such  places  of  Scripture  as  shall  be  proposed  unto 
him  in  cases  of  conscience,  and  in  the  chronology  of  the 
Scripture,  and  the  ecclesiastical  history. 

4.  If  he  hath  not  before  preached  in  public,  with  ap- 
probation of  such  as  are  able  to  judge,  he  shall,  at  a 
competent  time  assigned  him,  expound  before  the  pres- 
bytery such  a  place  of  Scripture  as  shall  be  given  iiim. 


Xcii  PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

5.  He  shall,  also,  within  a  competent  time,  frame  a 
discourse  in  Latin  upon  such  a  commonplace  or  contro- 
versy in  divinity  as  shall  be  assigned  him,  and  exhibit 
to  the  presbytery  such  theses  as  express  the  sum  there- 
of, and  maintain  a  dispute  upon  them. 

6.  He  shall  preach  before  the  people,  the  presbytery, 
or  some  of  the  ministry  of  the  word  appointed  by  them, 
being  present. 

7.  The  proportion  of  his  gifts,  in  relation  to  the  place 
unto  which  he  is  called,  shall  be  considered. 

8.  Besides  the  trial  of  his  gifts  in  preaching,  he  shall 
undergo  an  examination  in  the  premises  two  several 
days,  and  more,  if  the  presbytery  shall  judge  it  ne- 
cessary. 

9.  And  as  for  him  that  hath  formerly  been  ordained 
a  minister  and  is  to  be  removed  to  another  charge,  he 
shall  bring  a  testimonial  of  his  ordination  and  of  his 
abilities  and  conversation,  whereupon  his  fitness  for  that 
place  shall  be  tried  by  his  preaching  there  (if  it  shall  be 
judged  necessary)  by  a  farther  examination  of  him. 

3.  In  which  he  being  approved,  he  is  to  be  sent  to 
the  church  where  he  is  to  serve,  there  to  preach  three 
several  days,  and  to  converse  with  the  people,  that  they 
may  have  trial  of  his  gifts  for  their  edification,  and  may 
have  time  and  occasion  to  inquire  into,  and  the  better 
to  know,  his  life  and  conversation. 

4.  In  the  last  of  these  three  days  appointed  for  the 
trial  of  his  gifts  in  preaching,  there  shall  be  sent  from 
the  presbytery  to  the  congregation  a  public  intimation 
in  writing,  which  shall  be  publicly  read  before  the 
people,  and  after  affixed  to  the  church  door,  to  signify 
that,  such  a  day,  a  competent  number  of  the  members 
of  that  congregation,  nominated  by  themselves,  shall 
appear  before  the  presbytery  to  give  their  consent  and 
approbation  to  such  a  man  to  be  their  minister,  or 
otherwise  to  put  in,  with  all  Christian  discretion  and 
meekness,  what  exceptions  they  have  against  him ;  and 
if,  upon  the  day  appointed,  there  be  no  just  exception 


PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  XCIU 

against  him,  but  the  people  give  their  consent,  then  the 
presbytery  shall  proceed  to  ordination. 

5.  Upon  the  day  appointed  for  ordination,  which  is 
to  be  performed  in  that  church  where  he  that  is  to  be 
ordained  is  to  serve,  a  solemn  fast  shall  be  kept  by  the 
congregation,  that  they  may  the  more  earnestly  join  in 
prayer  for  a  blessing  upon  the  ordinance  of  Christ  and 
the  labours  of  his  servant  for  their  good.  The  presby- 
tery shall  come  to  the  place,  or,  at  least,  three  or  four 
ministers  of  the  word  shall  be  sent  thither  from  the 
presbytery,  of  which  one,  appointed  by  the  presbytery, 
shall  preach  to  the  people  concerning  the  office  and  duty 
of  ministers  of  Christ,  and  how  the  people  ought  to  re- 
ceive them  for  their  work's  sake. 

6.  After  the  sermon,  the  minister  who  hath  preached 
shall,  in  the  face  of  the  congregation,  demand  of  him 
who  is  now  to  be  ordained  concerning  his  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus  and  his  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  Reformed 
religion  according  to  the  Scripture ;  his  sincere  inten- 
tions and  ends  in  desiring  to  enter  into  this  calling ;  ^  his 
diligence  in  prayer,  reading,  meditation,  preaching, 
ministering  the  sacraments,  discipline,  and  doing  all 
ministerial  duties  towards  his  charge;  his  zeal  and 
faithfulness  in  maintaining  the  truth  of  the  gospel  and 
unity  of  the  Church  against  error  and  schism ;  his  care 
that  himself  and  his  family  may  be  unblamable,  and 
examples  to  the  flock  ;  his  willingness  and  humility,  in 
meekness  of  spirit,  to  submit  unto  the  admonitions  of 
his  brethren  and  discipline  of  the  Church ;  and  his  re- 
solution to  continue  in  his  duty  against  all  trouble  and 
persecution. 

7.  In  all  which  having  declared  himself,  professed  his 
willingness,  and  promised  his  endeavours,  by  the  help  of 
God,  the  minister  likewise  shall  demand  of  the  people 
concerning  their  willingness  to  receive  and  acknowledge 
him  as  the  minister  of  Christ,  and  to  obey  and  submit 
unto  him,  as  having  rule  over  them  in  the  Lord,  and  to 
maintain,  encourage,  and  assist  him  in  all  parts  of  his 
office. 

19 


XCIV  PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

8.  Which  being  mutually  promised  by  the  people,  the 
presbytery,  or  the  ministers  sent  from  them  for  ordina- 
tion, shall  solemnly  set  him  apart  to  the  oflSce  and  work 
of  the  ministry  by  laying  their  hands  on  him,  which  is 
to  be  accompanied  with  a  short  prayer  or  blessing  to 
this  effect : — 

"  Thankfully  acknowledging  the  great  mercy  of  God 
in  sending  Jesus  Christ  for  the  redemption  of  his  peo- 
ple, and  for  his  ascension  to  the  right  hand  of  God  the 
Father,  and  thence  pouring  out  his  Spirit  and  giving 
gifts  to  men,  apostles,  evangelists,  prophets,  pastors, 
and  teachers,  for  the  gathering  and  building  up  of  his 
Church,  and  for  fitting  and  inclining  this  man  to  this 
great  work  ;*  to  entreat  him  to  fit  him  with  his  Holy 
Spirit  to  give  him  (who  in  his  name  we  thus  set  apart  to 
this  holy  service)  to  fulfil  the  work  of  his  ministry  in 
all  things,  that  he  may  both  save  himself  and  his  people 
committed  to  his  charge." 

9.  This,  or  the  like  form  of  prayer  and  blessing 
being  ended,  let  the  minister  who  preached  briefly  ex- 
hort him  to  consider  of  the  greatness  of  his  office  and 
work,  the  danger  of  negligence  both  to  himself  and  his 
people,  the  blessing  which  will  accompany  his  faithful- 
ness in  this  life  and  that  to  come ;  and,  withal,  exhort 
the  people  to  carry  themselves  to  him  as  to  their  minis- 
ter in  the  Lord,  according  to  their  solemn  promise  made 
before ;  and  so  by  prayer  commending  both  him  and  his 
flock  to  the  grace  of  God,  after  singing  of  a  psalm,  let 
the  assembly  be  dismissed  with  a  blessing. 

10.  If  a  minister  be  designed  to  a  congregation  who 
hath  been  formerly  ordained  presbyter,  according  to  the 
form  or  ordination  which  hath  been  in  the  Church  of 
England,  which  we  hold  for  substance  to  be  valid,  and 
not  to  be  disclaimed  by  any  who  have  received  it,  then, 
there  being  a  cautious  proceeding  in  matters  of  exami- 
nation, let  him  be  admitted  without  any  new  ordination. 

11.  And  in  case  any  person  already  ordained  minister 


*  Here  let  them  impose  hands  ou  his  head. 


m 


PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT.  XCV 

in  Scotland  or  in  any  other  Reformed  Churcli,  be  de- 
signed to  another  congregation  in  England,  he  is  to 
bring  from  that  Church  to  the  presbytery  here,  within 
which  that  congregation  is,  a  sufficient  testimonial  of  his 
ordination,  of  his  life  and  conversation  while  he  lived 
with  them,  and  of  the  causes  of  his  removal ;  and  to 
undergo  such  a  trial  of  his  fitness  and  sufficiency,  and 
to  have  the  same  course  held  with  him  in  other  particu- 
lars as* is  set  down  in  the  rule  immediately  going  be- 
fore, touching  examination  and  admission. 

12.  That  records  be  carefully  kept  in  the  several  pres- 
byteries of  the  names  of  the  persons  ordained,  with 
their  testimonials,  the  time  and  place  of  their  ordina- 
tion, of  the  presbyters  who  did  impose  hands  upon 
them,  and  of  the  charge  to  which  they  are  appointed. 

13.  That  no  money  or  gift  of  what  kind  soever  shall 
be  received  from  the  person  to  be  ordained,  or  from  any 
on  his  behalf,  for  ordination,  or  aught  else  belonging  to 
it,  by  any  of  the  presbytery,  or  any  appertaining  to 
any  of  them,  upon  what  pretence  soever. 

Thus  far  of  Ordinary  Rides  and  Course  of  Ordination 
in  the  Ordinary  Way ;  that  which  concerns  the  Ex- 
traordinary Way,  requisite  to  he  noiv  practised,  foU 
loweth. 

1.  In  these  present  exigencies,  while  we  cannot  have 
any  presbyteries  formed  up  to  their  whole  power  and 
work,  and  that  many  ministers  are  to  be  ordained  for 
the  service  of  the  armies  and  navy  and  to  many  con- 
gregations where  there  is  no  minister  at  all,  and  where, 
by  reason  of  the  public  troubles,  the  people  cannot 
either  themselves  inquire  and  find  out  one  who  may  be 
a  faithful  minister  for  them,  or  have  any  with  safety  sent 
unto  them  for  such  a  solemn  trial  as  was  before  men- 
tioned in  the  ordinary  rules,  especially  when  there  can 
be  no  presbytery  near  unto  them  to  whom  they  may 
address  themselves,  or  which  may  come  or  send  to  them 
a  fit  man  to  be  ordained  in  that  congregation  and  for 


XCVl  PRESBYTERIAL   CHURCH   GOVERNMENT. 

that  people;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  it  is  requisite 
that  ministers  be  ordained  for  them  by  some  who,  being 
set  apart  themselves  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  have 
power  to  join  in  the  setting  apart  others  who  are  found 
fit  and  worthy.  In  those  cases,  until  by  God's  blessing 
the  aforesaid  difficulties  may  be  in  some  good  measure 
removed,  let  some  godly  minister  in  or  about  the  city  of 
London  be  designed  by  public  authority,  who,  being  as- 
sociated, may  ordain  ministers  for  the  city  and  the  vi- 
cinity, keeping  as  near  to  the  ordinary  rules  foremen- 
tioned  as  possibly  they  may;  and  let  this  association  be 
for  no  other  intent  or  purpose  but  only  for  the  work  of 
ordination. 

2.  Let  the  like  association  be  made  by  the  same 
authority  in  great  towns,  and  the  neighbouring  parishes 
in  the  several  counties,  which  are  at  the  pj  at  quiet 
and  undisturbed,  to  do  the  like  for  the  parts  adjacent. 

3.  Let  such  as  are  chosen  or  appointed  for  the  service 
of  the  armies  or  navy  be  ordained  as  aforesaid  by  the 
associated  ministers  of  London,  or  some  others  in  the 
country. 

4.  Let  them  do  the  like  when  any  man  shall  duly  and 
lawfully  be  recommended  to  them  for  the  ministry  of 
any  congregation  who  cannot  enjoy  liberty  to  have  a 
trial  of  his  parts  and  abilities,  and  desire  the  help  of 
such  ministers  so  associated  for  the  better  furnishing  of 
them  with  such  a  person  as  by  them  shall  be  judged  fit 
for  the  service  of  that  church  and  people. 


THE   END. 


BTEBKOTYPED  BY  I,.  JOHNSOX  &  CO. 
PHILAUELPUIA. 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary- Speer  Library 


1    1012  01009  2742 


DATE  DUE 


GAYLORD  #3523PI       Printed  in  USA 


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